The Shinigami's Blade
by Sashah Anna Oosta
Summary: Traitors are notorious for their abilitie to turn the tables on their enemies - Aizen, however, has turned this act into an art. Whose idea was it to give him a Zanpaktou that could bend time and space? Well...now we have a real problem on our hands. OC.
1. Arc 1 Chapter 1

**Welcome to the first chapter of The Shinigami's Blade! (I'm working on the title…so, don't get too attached.)**

**This is my first real attempt to write something that doesn't really revolve around one of the main characters of Bleach, so right now I warn you that this story DOES contain another character (just one – and I promise it's an actual legit character from another manga! Like a crossover…but not really, since it's such an unknown manga that I don't think this site will ever have it to write about…such a shame…), but I think that if you read on, you'll find that this story is a good one. **

**So, without further introduction –I present the first chapter!**

**I do not own Bleach. **

* * *

**Death and the Society Arc**

* * *

_**Let the sword of Fate fall and wound Reality**_

_**Begin Chapter One:**_

* * *

_I certainly do watch things more carefully. I might be a little paranoid now, actually...__It's amazing how different your life may be, with the absence of abnormality._

_It cuts me fresh every time I think of it...To be normal, to be an average girl whose only concerns are her figure and boys...To come to this, after having it never cross my mind...it cuts deep...deeper than I would have guessed. Or wanted, I should say. _

_The pain will come every once in a while, I find myself shrouded by depression. I can't face people while I'm like that, the shame hurt more than the burning pain in my soul. I couldn't face every day with a smile, and it took all of my will to see the faces of those I used to see every day, but now the very sight of them reminds me that there is nothing more. _

_For me, that is._

_That's how I've felt for years now, ever since I turned seventeen, three years ago._

_Seventeen long, agonizing years the finally ended that night; the night that I was able to die, in that fiery wreck. It was also, coincidentally, the last time that I ever turned seventeen. Though - I didn't know that back then. I just thought that I was going crazy; I was just dreaming up all that nonsense of swords and battle, and of traitors and demons. But, after that night, I learned that there are some things that no one can see coming. Some thing that would catch even the most cautious off guard. I had had no damn hope that night. _

_The night I met her – the one person who managed to save me, even when I thought I was the savior; even when I thought that I wasn't in need of saving, she still managed to prove me wrong, starting on that one night. _

_That Shinigami, with the violet eyes and the haunting white blade…_

_Kuchiki Rukia._

_She stepped into my life, brandishing that blade, and the moment it touched me, I was doomed to always be in awe of it - to live in awe of those magical weapons; t__hose blades of the Shinigami._

* * *

Well, this was just fantastic. Absolutely, fan-_fucking_-tastic.

Just what I needed, after the robbery, after breaking my arm and falling down those stairs, this is just the perfect way to end it. I had never given much thought to dying, just figuring that it would be as horrific as possible, considering my bad luck.

But _this_?

Just a little over-board, don't ya think? I contemplated this while staring into the bright flames that licked the twisted metal of my once whole car, which was now literally a metal _fiery_ death trap. Without turning my head, which I doubt I could with my back being snapped in half and all, I could see the terrified faces of the people watching.

HA! _Watching_! All I wanted to do at that moment was stand up and shout "Hello? I'm DYING here? Get off of your lazy ass' and HELP ME!"

But, again, not possible, the hotter-than-fire pain coursing through my body confirmed my fears.

I was broken. Not just one bone, no, that would have been too nice, _all_ of me was broken. From my fingers to my toes, every bone, muscle, cartilage, hell even fat, all broken. Way, way beyond repair.

So...this was what it was like to die, well how wonderful. This wasn't that bad, I guess. Just a ripping pain that pulsed with every beat of my heart...And the crushing pressure on my lungs whenever I breathed, clearly stating that I had at least three broken ribs. And the numbness in my legs, a sign that my back was broken. So, basically I was going to die, no way around that. And now, since I was sure that my skin was burned beyond repair, I didn't think I wanted to be saved. There would be too much pain in that...and frankly, life had been too full of pain for me already.

Years of agonizing, boring, day after day life was just too much. And unfair. I have to say that I am the current record holder for bad luck. Everywhere I go; it follows, and also infects the people around me. So, for their sake, I resigned to stay away from the rest of the population, in confinement of my home. Now, maybe I could finally do some good for the rest of the population of earth. With me dead, a large amount of the bad luck circulating around the world would disappear with me.

At least I would do something right before I die...well, not before but...when I die I guess...

Which couldn't be that far off from this second...

That brought me back to the terrible pain that was consuming my body. You know _Twilight_? That book about vampires? Well, this pain had to of been right up there with being changed into a vampire...it felt like it anyway. A terrible burning pain running through my veins...and my heart...I could feel every agonizing pump my heart made, every little movement it did to try and keep me alive.

But, I wasn't becoming a vampire. Too bad, right? That would be wicked awesome...have that super-duper strength, and the only weakness being fire...huh, that's almost ironic...At least, I didn't think that I was becoming a vampire...did anyone really pale bite me in the last few minutes? That could explain why I suddenly lost control of my car... Hmmmm...Nope, no, just me...being burned alive...after flipping my car over the side-railing...into a chemical plant...which had those big gasoline trucks parked outside...

Magnet for bad luck, right here ladies and gentlemen...

I sighed to myself, a motion that sent another wave of pain up my chest...this time I couldn't help but cry out, it HURT, dammit! I tried to wait patiently while the strangled feeling passed...great. Now it felt like I was losing circulation to my hands...when the hell was this was goona end? No, really, what was the point of me being tortured?

Too bad, though, today could have been a good day...

Suddenly, everything went white, and I felt myself leave that world with one final thought: '_It's about time.'_

* * *

It wasn't the scenery that surprised me.

No, not really. It was the fact that there was still scenery.

Shouldn't I be dead? I sat still for a few moments, staring blankly at the car burning at the bottom of the hill. From where I was sitting I could still see the body- my body- trapped on the inside.

Oooh, so that was how it worked. We just get forced from our bodies when we die? Just...popped out? Though I was sitting in a few feet of snow, I couldn't really feel the cold. Kind of...I kind of could feel it when I concentrated really hard on it, but other than there was just an absence of feeling. I sat there for a few more moments, just in awe of the situation before I felt an odd feeling fall into the pit of my stomach.

Now what the hell was I supposed to do?

I looked around, people still gathered, watching as I was- my body- was pulled from the wreckage. None of them could see me, obviously, but my question was more about me than them.

Screw them. They weren't dead.

**"**_**My, my. Aren't you a tasty treat?"**_

Pain entered my world, and I suddenly could feel again. I felt a hot, blinding pain in my side, and wet blood run down my ribs. Somehow, the pain that I had experienced in the car crash seemed distant...blurry, like a fading memory, though it only happened less than five minutes ago. I crawled into my knees, and faced the direction the attack had come from.

_I think I just shit myself._

"What the hell?" I sputtered, horrified at the...at the _demon_ that stood before me. Its skin was black, and it was wearing a freaky white mask, with gold and silver decorations on it.

If it were human, I would have laughed and walked away, commenting on how stupid his Halloween costume was. But, this thing was definitely not human. It was freakin huge. Bigger than the fire truck that was stationed to its left; bigger than the refinery that stood a hundred feet from its brawny legs.

Oh no...not legs...tree trucks disguised at legs. That's what they had to be, redwood tree trunks, like the ones from Vancouver that peaked at around 150 meters high. They were not legs.

**"**_**You're quite an odd human...You have energy, almost like a Shinigami's...but not quite like it. I smell it inside you. But you can't run, and I will enjoy eating you're-"**_

That was when things started to fade in and out of reality.

I can't remember if I screamed. I can't remember if I ran; or attempted to run. I had no idea if it was killed by the girl who saved me, because the next thing I knew, I was cradled to the chest of a stranger. I was feeling faint. My head was light and everything was spinning...before I blacked out from the lack of oxygen- wait. No, that was impossible. I was dead, I didn't need oxygen. What was happening to me? I couldn't breath...something in my chest was being weighed down. I fought against it, even as the woman put me down, and told me in a calm voice to stay put, I fought against my weak body, and stood up to face her.

"Who are you?" I croaked out, feeling sick to my stomach.

She was blurry, but I saw her thin lips turn up in the slightest smile. Her eyes, her impossibly coloured eyes, relaxed into a comforting stance.

"I am a Shinigami. That monster was called a hollow. It's time for you to go home."

She raised her sword- was that a white blade I saw?- and pointed the hilt end at my forehead. She made a move to hit me with it, but I stopped her.

I needed to know - before anything else crazy happened, I needed to have one thing to hold onto before something else happened.

"What's your name? Where am I going?"

She looked at me solemnly for a moment, with even eyes that sent chills down my spine, and her voice was more controlled and forbidding than I had imagined, "You are going to a resting place called the Soul Society. It's the place to go when you die."

Soul Society. Hmm, didn't sound so bad...at least she didn't say hell...though I half expected her too. Maybe I had done something right in my short, pitiful life. Or maybe, who knew? Maybe I was just dreaming and at any moment I would be waking up...The errant thought shot through my head quickly; this was no dream.

I felt my grip in the sword loosen as the last wave of nausea threw me into unconsciousness. But as I drifted, I felt her near to me, and heard her say something along the lines of "Kuchiki Rukia."

Rukia. What a strange name...

Yet...I felt as if...it was something I had already known...And for some strange reason, I felt another name whispered in the line of hers...another voice that was connected to her...Who on God's green earth was Kurosaki Ichigo?

And then, mingled with all the flashes of the boy and many other people that I didn't know, I saw things that unhinged my very being - things that brought back things that for so many years I had been trying to keep controlled. But there was no denying it now - what I had once thought to be impossible was staring me in the face.

But, I didn't want it to.

_God, please don't put me through that again..._

Was the last thing I thought, before being swept into the freezing current.

* * *

_**End Chapter One**_

_**Bonus:**_

* * *

I watched as the Konpaku drifted into the spirit particles that I had become so used to seeing. I was proud of myself – my first solo trip to the real world, and I had already slain three hollows without having to release Sode No Shirayuki.

Things were finally looking better.

"Did you see that, Sode?" I asked - more in need of conversation than approval. A cool breeze drifted through my mind, and I felt her smooth approval for my work. Count on Sode to appreciate the littlest things - but she drifted easily in my spirit, not bothering to really pay attention. I couldn't blame her; the real world was a little dull, but I had a job to do - and I had to get moving before another Hollow appeared.

I looked back to the spot the girl had been.

Those wide, deep green eyes were still fresh in my mind, and the way she had stared at me, facing death itself, without even a flicker of fear…what a strange human she must have been…and that feeling…it was almost like she had possessed…No, that was impossible; no human could posses it - and even if a human did, they wouldn't be able to control it after so long, and would have drawn many hollow's to them...but...I thought back to how her soul had turned into the foating orb. There had been something off about it...it hadn't been the same serene blue as the other souls I had sent home. This one had been more golden...and, when I had touched it with my blade, something had shot straight through my wrists...right into my heart.

I stared at my hands, trying to remember what exactly it had felt...almost...warmth...like a flame...

My sixth sense flickered, and before I was consciously aware of it, my feet were taking me towards a powerful sensation – the same sensation that I had felt surging and subsiding since I had arrived here. Every time I had thought to seek it out, it had vanished suddenly. This time, however, I would find it – and figure out what the hell it was. My mind drifted as I ran, and I thought about the girl. I hoped we would meet again someday, just so I could find out if she was something special. But then I berated myself for thinking so wistfully.

Fate was never kind enough to change for me…

And as I felt the sensation begin to soften, I knew that tonight wasn't going to be any different, and tomorrow fate would still be the force leading me around by the nose - but, would it ever change?

No. I knew that. I was a Shinigami. Shinigami never changed, because as Shinigami, we were those who decided the brunt of fate itself, and it really didn't have much control over me. Sometimes, though, I wished it did.


	2. Arc 1 Chapter 2

**Hello Again!**

**Great to see you all alive and well, hope you're hunkered down and ready for another chapter in this magnificent tale! ****I have to admit, I'm really excited about this - I've been dying to write a good fanfic since I made my first account, so this is just amazing. I really really really hope I can keep this going, but I will admit that I might have to take a few months off to generate the plot for a chapter, so head up!**

**Umm...hmm, there's really nothing else to say...OH!**

**I do NOT own BLEACH! ****But, I do own all the season's of Friends! (Which I have been watching non-stop for the past week :D)**

_**Indeed – fate does not exist for us.  
But, the way in which we can demand our own destinies proceeds us -  
we may yet one day develop our fates.  
Until then, I will hope.**_

_**Begin Chapter Two:**_

* * *

It was the Soul Society.

At least, that was what they had told me after I had woken up.

'They' as in, the people who lived in this place, called Rukongai, District Seven, which was located in the world called Soul Society. I arrived four weeks ago, fresh from the world of the living. I couldn't remember anything before waking up; Rien said that that was odd, but it made sense. When I asked her what that meant, she just snickered and disappeared. There were many people in this place; more than I would have expected. The streets were always filled with people, even in the latest of night.

"_New Arrivals,"_my adopted sister told me_, "They come at all hours. I've always wondered when the Shinigami get to sleep."_

Shinigami.

I can't remember if I've ever heard the word, but it seems familiar to me. I didn't bother questioning Suzuki on the meaning of the word; I would learn about it with time.

Rien didn't help much, whenever the word came up; she was the least present that she had ever been.

Usually she just talked and talked and talked, making silent snarky remarks about my adoptive sister and friends. Silently, though, she tugged on me in certain conversations, telling my things that I shouldn't know; telling me how to do things that previously I couldn't do. Some may have thought that it would be a blessed thing if someone who lived inside of one's mind could secretly spill answers to riddles that no one else could manage to answer. I found it annoying most of the time.

Time passed, and I found myself feeling oddly lonely; that someone who was supposed to be in my life wasn't there. I didn't understand my feelings; and Rien wasn't shedding any light on it either, so mostly it was ignored. When I wasn't wandering the district, I usually found myself sitting at the edge of the Yuhano River, just staring into the water.

It was at times like this that I spoke with Rien, asking her questions about the world I now lived in. When I had woken up, the only comfort that I had known was a soothing voice in my head, telling me that everything was going to be alright. Though I remembered practically nothing, the familiarity of the voice kept all of my anxiousness at bay, and allowed for me to function normally. Well, as normally as I could, being dead and all. It was a strange sensation, knowing that I had died...and on top of that, I couldn't remember anything before death, which left me wondering - and also thankful, because I had someone to ask.

"Where do we all come from?" I asked Rien one night while awaiting for sleep to wake over me. "

**"**_**From another life; from another world. With time, your memories of the other world will return. When you meet the Shinigami, you'll understand things much better than I can explain."**_

"Shinigami…" The word felt right on my lips, and that night, in my dreams, I drifted in an endless void filled with masked monsters and bloody battles and a traitor's evil grin.

* * *

"Suzuki! I'm going out for a while, alright?" I called back into the small hut that we had been sharing.

"Fine, just be back before dark, okay?" Her muffled reply came, and I set of on my way. I marveled at how people in this world lived their lives; becoming family with people that they didn't know - drawing together in fellowship and families, never losing that human characteristic; that need to be with other's. I was not exempt from that need, and I was happy to have been able to find such a welcoming sister. She was practically the first person I saw after opening my eyes. After I had stumbled around, confused and dazed, she had came up to me; smiling, and began to explain what had happened.

And that night, I had dreamed of Rien - her voice, calling out to me. My memory of the dream was hazy, but I had the vague recollection of agreeing to something, and then...it was hard to explain, but I sort of released her from wherever she had been. From the day on, I had heard her in my head - and I had also never pondered the strangeness of it.

Things really weren't as interesting after dying and travelling over to another plane of existence. Every new thing was quite boring actually.

The day was so nice that I couldn't bear to keep myself inside; that would have been insanity, so I went out of my sisters home. The streets of the district were filled with men, women and children; I had initially been surprised at the amount of children in Soul Society, for one it was unusually that so many met their ends at such an age, and second living in Soul Society is hard; it awed me that they remained here without losing themselves.

"What should I do today?" I pondered to myself, looking at all the different shops that lay along the sides of the roads.

I noticed a clothing shop, and looked down at myself. My clothes had never really bothered me, even though they weren't exactly the same as the ones everyone else was wearing. The other's all seemed to wear gowns that were coloured, and some were decorated with intricate flowers and designs. The clothes that I had awoken with in this world were blue pants that were coarser than other fabrics, and more durable. My mind always seemed to be looking for their name, but always fell short. The top I wore was a simple piece of fabric that stretched out its shape easily; the short sleeves showing off my shoulders.

Sometimes I felt as silly as the Shinigami must feel; walking around in their black uniforms amongst the coloured crowds. One day, as I was walking through Rukongai, I saw a group of Shinigami waking around; I didn't know what they were at first, until Suzuki told me that they were Shinigami.

It was then that I realized the difference between the Shinigami and the rest of the souls in the Soul Society; the Shinigami definitely had things better. Their appearances were well-groomed, and the hue of health that surrounded them made all the others look ragged and sickly. Some children ran past; they were being chased by an old miser with a cane. He was yelling something about stealing his water…

_Children...boys, being chased by a man bearing a blade...anger...fear...hatred...emotions ran through me that I couldn't possibly be feeling. Then, a flash of white blinded me, and a young girl rushed forward and swept the old man's feet out from under him._

"_Come on! Follow me!"_

A gasping sound...and it was gone.

I shook my head and came back to the street before me. The sun shone brightly above me, and sweat started to form on my eyebrow. I didn't know what to do. Those strange visions had been popping in and out of my head since I arrived, and frankly it was driving me insane. I sat down on the side of the road and growled to myself. Contemplating, I summoned Rien to my mind, intent on asking her about the strange dreams and now visions that she had been having.

'_Rien what is happening?' _I didn't speak allowed, because I was surrounded by innocent souls who probably wouldn't appreciate a strangely dressed girl talking to herself on the side of the road.

**"**_**Nothing. This is perfectly normal."**_

'_Normal! How is this normal?'_

**"**_**For you, I mean. It's completely normal for you."**_

I had no idea what she was trying to get at and I was too frustrated and confused to try to understand. Instead, I tried to piece together what I knew without the help of the voice in my head.

That annoyed her.

Okay – since I had arrived in the Soul Society, I had had strange visions and very real, horrible dreams. The visions were of different things; sometimes it was the same scenery as the world around me, but somebody different. I frequently saw children – some with bright red hair and shining eyes. These were much different than the dreams. Each dream always featured the same woman – the same person who lurked in my thoughts every day. I rationalized that she must hold some importance to my life, or the very least, my subconscious.

Then, there was the person she was always fighting. I had only heard his name half said, so I didn't know his name – but his face was too easily seen. Black hair – blue, turquoise eyes…tall, lean but intense…yes, I knew this man very well.

But, there was always another.

He stood in the shadows, his dark eyes trained on the woman –watching her dance in the fight of her life. I knew that he was an essence of darkness, because he was always shrouded in the blackest of shadows and wore an arrogant smile on his face.

His was the face that sent shivers down my spine when I thought of him.

**"**_**Relax, take a deep breath."**_

It wasn't until she spoke that I realized how badly I was shaking. My knuckle were white from being clenched so tightly, and I felt the pain of trying to relax them.

"I don't understand _anything_ Rien…" I whispered, and my frustration and anger seeped out with my tears, running down my face as the sun dropped lower and lower in this nostalgic sky.

The next morning, I awoke in my bed, the scenes from my dream still fresh in my mind, like a secret darkness that lurked in my mind…I couldn't stop it from burning. The sun was again high in the clear blue sky, but with my gloomy attitude, it may as well have been raining cats and dogs. My stomach growled, and I realized that for the first time since coming here, I was hungry.

"How odd…" I mumbled to myself and strode up to a store keepers. He smiled at me, and showed off his fresh fruit. There were many different kinds and colours; I decided to go with an ordinary bushel of apples. I paid him, and went on my way towards the river. I decided to do my favorite thing and sit and look into the water; the reflection of the afternoon sky was more beautiful than the sky itself. It was almost enough to lose myself in, and at that time the world around me didn't seem so foreign…it almost felt like home.

Almost.

I sat on the warm grass and happily bit into an apple; true to the miser's words, his fruit was sweet and fresh. It landed satisfyingly in my stomach and the gnawing sensation slowly went away. After the last apple, I was blissfully full, and felt my eyelids growing heavy. I leaned against the large tree, and closed my eyes, not at all afraid of the world around me, but still increasingly anxious.

_The darkness shifted, and shapes and colours began to brim around the edges of the endless black. I felt myself falling rapidly, the harsh wind whipping at my face, making my eyes water. It was is if I were travelling through the gates of time; the sun and moon flickered in and out of existence, and I found myself in a place of white sand and a forever midnight sky._

_There was an evil here. Something sinister lurked within this earth, and the air was heavy and dry, not like the air in the Soul Society, which was light and brisk. __I knew immediately that this was not a good place to be, but I couldn't summon any fear of what was around me. Instead of trying to find a way out, I walked forward into the abyss. I didn't know why, because it seemed pointless. There was nothing in the distance, nothing before, behind or beside me. __But that didn't matter to me; I could feel something brewing somewhere in the darkness, and it called out to me. It was the same feeling I had whenever I thought about the Shinigami and their strange vocation._

_Suddenly, the sand moved beneath my feet, and I wrenched forward, travelling at the speed of light until I reached a castle-type thing. Something kept sucking me in, and I tried to run away, but there was no use. __My feet left the ground, and I floated in the air, before flying through the walls. I prepared to impact the hard stone, but I simply passed through them like I was a ghost. Below be, people passed, each dressed in either a white haori, or a black shihakusho._

_And then, I saw her._

_Her dazzling white blade moving through the air in a complex dance that was beyond me. Sweat and blood mixed together on her face, the hilt of her blade stained red._

_Hollow's and strange-looking human-faced other's fell at her hands as she made her way through the dark halls of this witch-palace._

"_How graceful…." I couldn't keep the awe out of my voice, her perfect stance, her lithely movements…_

'_I think I'm becoming obsessed with this woman…'_

_She jerked suddenly, and I thought she had heard me, but she flickered out of my sight and then back in front of me again._

"_Aizen!" She screamed; horror and fury seeping into her voice._

"_Sorry," A shadow laughed to her, "He's busy at the moment, but I'm up for another round."_

_A figure appeared from the darkness, and I was confused at his appearance. __He looked just like a Shinigami with a sword and everything. __Rukia looked at him and un-disguised disbelief crossed her features._

"_Aaronier-"_

_But he cut her off with a blade through her stomach, and she collapsed in a lifeless heap as the darkness consumed her._

"No!" I sat up, my scream absorbed by the water-front.

I sat still, not daring to move an inch. Questions formed in my head, and wreaked havoc on my mind. The world around me began to quiver, and it wasn't until my eyes wandered down that I realized my hands were shaking again. I was trembling.

'_There's something wrong with me!'_

It was the same dream. Every night, I was plagued with visions of this woman, but previous to this moment, they hadn't shown her getting skewered. In all of the other dreams, she had defeated him, stabbed him in the head with a frosty blade. I tried to get to my feet, but the world moved below me and my stomach twisted painfully. Nausea swept over me, and I felt like hurling its contents onto the grass. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Alright, what do you want?" I screamed to the sky, the horrifying visions of that woman being sawed in half were making me dizzy with pain and nausea.

"What am I supposed to do? Tell me! Why?" I wasn't asking Rien. I wasn't asking God. I don't know who, or what or why, but I just wanted something. There was something wrong. Not just with me...but with this world. I felt that now...and that woman. The Shinigami with the white blade, I needed to find her again. Something had changed.

The epiphany hit me suddenly, and I felt everything fall into place. It might have been because I was grasping for something…anything, but I could see it now, clear as day.

"Rien, where do you find Shinigami?" I knew not why I acknowledged her presence as a wealth of knowledge, but somehow I knew she would have the answer - like I somehow knew that I needed to find that Shinigami with the white blade.

'_Something is different...'_

**"**_**Shinigami?"**_ Her voice was idly pleased, _**"They live in the Seiretei. Beyond the White Wall; that's where they have founded their society."**_

'_Something has changed...'_

"Seiretei...I see, thank you." I replied, but my voice was empty, for my mind was somewhere else. Somewhere very far away. I was hardly even aware of myself, as my body moved, and entered the bustling streets, where the dead souls of the world gathered after their demise.

'_I cannot justify this knowledge...but I __**know **__that __this is something that I must do.'_

"That woman."

I stared forward, and could see the walls that separated the Districts from the Seiretei- How I knew this, I couldn't say, but the information just trickled into my brain. Not enough to enlighten me of my strange mood shifts, but enough to keep me walking forwards, towards where I felt I was supposed to be- I would find her.

"You...Where are you?"

* * *

_**End Chapter Two**_

_**Bonus**__**:**_

* * *

"Oi! What the hell?" I sputtered at the pint-sized Shinigami who was currently occupying my bed. It wasn't the fact she was on my bed that really bothered me – that I had learned to live with – it was that my bed was covered in her crap that pissed me off. Seriously, where the hell did she get all of those 'artistic supplies'? Marker, crayons, pencils, glue…was that a Chappy the Rabbit colouring book? What was she, eight?

"What's the matter Ichigo?" She didn't even bother looking at me – her eyes stayed glued to whatever monstrosity she was creating.

"What's the matter? Look at the mess you've made! You had better clean that up!"

Now she looked at me, her dark cobalt eyes vaguely uninterested as she took in my pissed off appearance. She looked me up and down, before going back to her drawing.

"You need to relax more Ichigo. Worrying liked that will make you ugly."

I was about to retort, when she tapped her lip in thought.

"Actually, scratch that. You couldn't get any uglier."

"Why you little-!" I contemplating choking her, but settled for throwing my backpack at her. It nailed her in the head, and I congratulated myself on my aim.

I began to worry, however, when she started shaking.

"Ichigo…"

Uh oh…that voice – that low…deadly…demonic voice…it was something from my nightmares.

She turned to me as I was backing out of the room, her eyes glowing with hatred.

"Look at what you did." She held up her sketchbook – a black marker line going through the…well, I couldn't call it a picture. Actually – the line made it look better…

I snickered to myself – unable to hold it in. It was just too hilarious – the look on her face and all because of a picture –

"OW! Son of a-" She hit me again, cutting off my curse.

"Bakudo, number one! Sai!"

My hands caught behind my back – tied together by an unseen force.

"Oi, what the hell Ru-"

It was then that I noticed her coming at me with that black marker, and began to struggle with all that I had to get out of that fucking binding.

"No! Rukia, get away from – No!"

But, to my humiliation…I was sporting a moustache and a black eye for a week after that.

Fucking Shinigami.


	3. Arc 1 Chapter 3

**Guess who?**

…**.Uh, no…No it's not bee expert Richard Gere…**

…**THAT'S RIGHT, it's me! YAY!**

**Oooh, chapter three, how awesome is that? I think it's pretty FREAKING' awesome, but that's just me. ****So, I've been sitting around, trying to put together this thing for the past how long…and I've been watching Family Guy.**

…**Don't judge me…**

**Anywho – just another note, this will reflect and be tied in with the manga of Bleach, with just a few things changed to match what I think I can write better about. So…yeah…let's do this thing. **

_**Fate will Find itself  
Destiny will Right itself  
and Love with have her Way…**_

_**Begin Chapter Three:**_

* * *

Would she know me? Why was I even trying to find her? How would I get into the Seiretei? The last question caught me off guard, and I hesitated in my steps.

How **would** I get in? It's not like I could just waltz up and demand entrance into the Seiretei! They probably had security and only Shinigami were allowed inside, they would never let me in!

"Dammit!" I cursed, and felt awkward. I usually never swore…but, I liked it, it felt familiar….

My train of thought ended as I realized that the sun would be setting soon; I had been walking around for hours and I didn't even know where exactly the entrance was, other than it was in the center of the districts.

"Ah, shut up! There are more important things to be thinking about!" My yell drew a little bit of gazes, but I just glared them off. What did they care anyway? I was just another face among the millions that they would never see again.

**"**_**Wow, when did you get so cynical? It can't be good for you..."**_

I snapped my head up, attempting to glare at myself, knowing that that was probably not going to work out too well for me. People just continued to pass by me, ignoring my angry eyes, and it seemed as if none of them had heard anything…Rien was a voice that only I could hear…I understood that, and before it had never bothered me, but now it felt a little strange.

"I'm going insane," I moaned into my hands, despairing over the feeling that waged war inside of me.

'_Okay...let's try to think about this logically...I'm currently sitting on the side of an over-populated road in another dimension that's dedicated to the housing of people that had died from all over the world, that was ruled by magical samurai-like beings that called themselves 'God's of death'..._

_Oh, and I'm also hearing strange voices in my head that make fun of my cynicism...'_

I screamed into my hands, trying to muffle the sound as best as I could. But, my pent up frustration and confusion seemed to be rearing their ugly heads just at this moment, and I couldn't' stop my little temper tantrum very easily. After a few long minutes of fighting my anger, I managed to calm down enough to realize that the streets were no longer full of people. In fact, there were none at all...how strange...

Was my screaming that loud, that it sent everyone running for the freaking hills?

**"**_**Go forward."**_

"Huh?" I yelped, spinning around to respond to her, even though I knew she wasn't there. "Forward?"

**"**_**Do you trust me?"**_

"Rien…" I thought about the comfort her words always gave to me; the second I had woken up to this world, it had been her words that kept me sane. She told me things and helped me…How could I not trust her after everything she had done? But at the same time – everything seemed strange and unfitting, this world was something that I did not understand, so therefore, I really didn't know who I could and couldn't trust. Some part of me screamed that trusting this voice was going to get me killed, and I understood that well. But, then there was also the louder part – the part of me that felt at ease that felt like Rien's presence was the only thing in this world I could trust.

"Just…tell me one thing…" I asked quietly, "Who are you?"

**"**_**I am a part of you. A piece of your soul, living deep within your inner world. That's all I can say for now."**_

So, she was a part of me. But, could I believe her words? Would she ever lie to me?

"Then, of course I trust you…I may not understand everything that's happening…but I do understand that you are they only person who I can trust completely." Yes, it was true. In this world, I was alone - save for the voice in my head. I really had no choice.

**"**_**Then keep walking forward, you will reach the White Gate, and there you will be tested."**_

"Oh _**hell**_ no!" I yelled, and I visualized my own eyes popping out of my head.

**"**_**Oh hell **__**yes...**_" she said again, sounding very, very smug.

I hadn't known what 'testing' meant, but I received a vision of a sword, meaning only one thing. I would have to fight. Calmly, as calmly as I could, considering I hadn't fought in my life, I fell to a sitting position, and assumed a fetal stance.

"This isn't happening; I'm just dreaming...there's no way that this could be happening. I'm not dead, I'm not in another plane of existence and I am not hearing voices in my head that tell me to kill people." I continued this for about ten more minutes, rocking back and forth on my backside.

After a while, though, everything seemed quiet, and I sneaked a glance up, taking in the empty streets and ghostly shops.

Nothing.

"Did it work?" I asked nobody in particular.

...

**"**_**Hmm...Nope" **_Came the cheeky reply.

"God _Dammit_!"

* * *

Looking very much like a third-rate burglar, I made my way through the alleyways and back roads of, what I know knew, was called Rukongai. Everything still remained quiet and calm, but I had the feeling that there was something more under-handing going on. There was a degree of...evil in the air, and screw it if I was going to get messed up in it. I was going to go find these elusive Shinigami, and...Um...what else was I going to do?

**"**_**You're going to become a Shinigami, dumbass."**_

Right, I was going to become a Shinigami.

"I am _not_ going to become a Shinigami," I insisted yet again, ducking into another shadow. My voice was low, and hissed, though I still didn't know why I was acting like this.

The air was thicker, I had noticed, as I got closer to the area that was home to the Shinigami. Like there was something else in the air...something heavier than oxygen.

"Hey, is there even oxygen in this air?" I asked, realizing that ever since I had started on this journey my mind had become less and less empty…I had started wondering about new things, which apparently meant that I was becoming like how I was before I died. Well, that was Rien said at least.

There was a long heavy sigh, and I got the mental image of a woman rubbing her temples in aggravation.

**"**_**No, there is no oxygen in the Soul Society. Why would a dead person even need oxygen? Think about it..."**_

I ignored her snooty attitude, and continued my musings,

"So...If there's no oxygen, then what am I breathing in?" I took a thick breath in, testing the feeling again.

It certainly _felt_ like I was breathing in oxygen...

**"**_**Look, you're not dying, so why do you even care about what you're breathing in?"**_

"Ummm...I dunno..." I considered my reasons for wanting to understand how everything worked in the Soul Society.

Hmm...I had no reasons...Interesting...Suddenly, I stopped short, my thoughts coming to a hasty close. I had arrived...and the walls were freaking huge!

"What the hell! How the hell do I get in there?"

For the first time since I had died, I felt a sheen of sweet form on my skin, and the cool flush of my face as fear washed over me. I felt very sick. Sicker than I could ever remember feeling.

'_What's wrong with me?'_

There was a sudden weight in my chest, and I was brought back to a day that was shrouded in darkness…the day that….I died. I was sure; I had felt this pressure before, and it was on the day of my death that I felt it…This weight...this fear, it was the same feeling that I had when the monster tried to eat my soul. A small image flew into my head; the image of a monster with black skin and a white mask. It felt like my stomach was being pulled to the ground. My knees buckled, and I swayed, but managed to stay standing, though it took quite the mental strength.

"What's happening to me?" My voice was strangled and barely a hoarse whisper.

I felt the 'Other presence' shift inside me, a little unnerved by how accustomed I had become too it's...no..._her_ presence. I got the distinct feeling it was a woman's voice who spoke to me.

**"**_**It's a spiritual energy. This level is one that belongs to a Taichio."**_

I considered it. Spiritual Energy? Though I didn't understand what spiritual energy was...I understood that it was something that was vital in knowing. And...what was a Taichio?

**"**_**Spiritual Energy is related to the power that is inside every soul. Some have low spiritual energy, which is just a result of nature, and others who have low spiritual energy just haven't been able to develop it."**_

The streets were still eerily empty, so I decided to take a small rest, and try to understand more about this strange place. As I sat and breathed deeply, I felt the heaviness in my chest lessen, the crushing feeling leaving as suddenly as it had come.

"So..." I didn't really care that I was talking to myself, it's not like there was an abundance of people watching me... "Do living people have Spiritual Energy?"

**"**_**Yes, it's possible, and that usually means that they have a large amount of it that becomes more evident when they die."**_

How odd. I leaned back, and examined the sky for the billionth time since I had arrived. It looked exactly like the sky in the Living World. And at this moment, the sun was setting in the exact same place it would be setting back home. Briefly, I wondered about home. Were my parents still mourning over me? Was I buried yet? My sister had been flying in from the States for the weekend….

Oh right! That's where I had been going before I lost control of the car. My brows furrowed, and I wondered to myself how I could have forgotten that?

**"**_**Human memories fade after a while. But, in your case, your memories were taken from you. I think it has to do with the day you died being connected to something else in your life."**_

Something else? Hmm…I still couldn't remember much, just the odd things that popped into my head. I had a pet fish in grade two that I named Jake. He died three weeks later. And the day I died…I only remember the face of that horrific monster…that…that…

"Damn! It's on the tip of my tongue, and I just can't remember it! Rien, can you help me out here?"

She was silent, and I sighed in irritation, knowing that she wouldn't give me any answers to this one. Rien was only all-knowing when it came to matters that didn't have anything to do with my personal life.

_Right Rien?_

_**"**__**Right; glad you're getting the hang of it."**_

"Yeah right. Let's forget this! I'm right outside the gate, what the hell do I do now?" Since I was now in a horrible mood, I briefly put a hold on my questions about the Soul Society. The walls were now suspiciously ominous, looming above my head. There was still nobody around, I briefly wondered why, before focusing on the wall again.

"So, is there some kind of gate thingy? Or...do I have to bust my way in?" I stepped forward to throw a mock punch at the wall, but before I could, a huge shadow loomed over me from behind.

I spun back, prepared to either fight or flight, depending on who it was, but I was arrogant enough to believe that in that moment there was nobody I would have to run from.

Hmm...Maybe I should have payed more attention in those flight classes...

'_Damn.'_

He was freakin' **huge**. Larger than the largest guy on any football team, wrestling team, or sumo man I had ever seen. He was taller than the buildings of downtown Seattle, New York, Tokyo...it was impossible. I prepared to make a run for it, but the highly annoying and apparently suicidal voice in my head willed me to stay.

**"**_**Just wait...I promise, nothing bad will come of this."**_

'_Sure, easy for you to say...you're a figment of my imagination, you can't get beaten to a pulp'_

Looking into the giants face, his...wow, he looked like an ape...but, more like a...a cross between King Kong and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

...

Wow did I really just think that? And...I had to laugh. I was losing my memories about my own life, yet these things I still remembered as clear as ever.. Suddenly, the monstrosity bent down to me, but in a way that made the impression that he was trying not to scare me.

"Hello there, strange Shinigami!" He said in a rough, loud voice that shook the earth, "I am Jindanbo, the West Gate Keeper."

Stunned, I robotically choked out; "I'm not a Shinigami," before taking a step back as his face got extremely close to mine.

He studied me for a moment, probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth or not.

"Hmm," He grunted after a moment, "It seems as if you're not. That explains why you do not have a permit. Tell me, girl, what are you doing staring at the Seireimon?"

_'What the hell's a Seireimon?_' I thought, but before I could ask him, a voice whispered in my ear;

**"**_**The Seireimon is the Spirit Gate, the gate that separates Rukongai from the Seiretei. It's that gate that you must go through."**_

Right...I totally knew that...

"Ahem," I cleared my throat, "Uh, well, see...I have to get into the Seiretei...sooo, if you could just...open up the gate that would be fantastic!"

I smiled, making sure to appear as innocent as I could, but it seemed that what I had said was a giant joke, because he began to laugh loud, earth moving heckles that hurt my ears.

"You can't enter the Seiretei, only Shinigami are allowed to enter!" He continued to laugh, which sent my blood into a boil.

I opened my mouth to cuss him out, but she stopped me.

**"**_**Tell him that you're hungry, and that you need to enter the Academy!"**_

That stopped me for a second.

"What the hell does that even mean!" I hissed, glaring at the ground, "What the hell does it matter if I'm hungry or not!"

With a low growl, my stomach proceeded to inform me that I was actually hungry, which, again, I thought was odd, considering I was dead and all.

**"**_**Just do it!"**_

"But!-"

"Hey...," Jindanbo said, and I realized that he had heard me arguing with...well, myself.

"Who're you talking to?" His eyebrows raised in inquire, and he leaned back down towards my face.

"Ummm...nobody! Listen I'm...well, I'm starving here pal! I need to get into the Seiretei to enter the...umm," _**"Academy, you idiot!"**_, "Academy!" I wondered if he noticed my sketchy eyes, my high-pitched voice, or my utter fail at trying to remain casual, but I decided not to dwell on it. There were more important things to worry about, say...not being squished, perhaps?

He stared at me openly for a few moments, before grinning wildly.

"Why didn't you say so?" He demanded, and before I could react, he plucked me from the ground and set me on his broad shoulder.

"Hang on a second, and I'll let you in!"

Though I was scared stiff, I managed a quick, "Well, thanks!"

I clung to his clothing, and watched in awe as he bent down and...okay what the hell was he-

"Oh my God!" I yelped, as he lifted- yes, lifted- the wall up. The piece, which I now assumed was the gate, shifted easily from the rest of the wall, as he grunted and huffed until it was safely above his head.

I was officially impressed.

And then, like any other gentlemen, the giant, monkey-faced Jindanbo, gently plucked me from his shoulder, and placed me, light as a feather, onto the ground.

"There ya' go girly, good luck in there! Farewell!"

He smiled, and I waved back, as the billion-ton walls of the Seiretei came crashing down.

Astounded, I stared at the white walls, committing his face to memory, before turning to unravel the mystery of the place known as Seiretei.

'_Thank you...'_

**"**_**Thank you..."**_

* * *

_**End Chapter Three**_

_**Bonus:**_

* * *

The skies were melting together.

It reminded me of the way people seemed to melt together – their colours coming together in unique, stunning skies that we all seemed to exist in.

"Kisuke…"

I turned, and found Yoruichi seating herself beside me, wearing one of the sets of clothes that I had kept for her in her room.

"Not bothering to be in your other form today?"

She shook her head, her long violet locks swimming together in the air, "its only fun around people who don't know the truth," she grinned, "And, Kisuke?"

I peered at her though the corner of my eye.

"Where the hell is all my stuff?"

Laughing, I took off my hat, laying it beside me, running a hand through my hair.

"I didn't think you'd mind if I moved it to a different room. It's bigger; with a much larger window…I know how you like dozing in the sun."

The looks he gave me was incredibly amusing, but I refrained from commentating. I was used to her looks now-a-days. The only thing was that when she was a cat, I could never tell me her smiles were sarcastic or real…but there was always something in her eyes that tipped me off.

"Hmmm," she leaned back, "Sounds like a nice room. I bet it also has panelled hardwood floors, a large king-sized bed, and a surprisingly large closet, considering who its original occupant was."

I laughed, feigning nervousness, though I was silently very entertained at our little game.

"So, you've figured it out?"

She gave me that look again, but then grinned, "Oh yes – it was incredibly kind of you to move out of your room and give it to me."

…

"Yoruichi!"

"What?" she blinked innocently, her golden eyes glittering with mischief.

She opened her mouth to say something again, but a few blocks from Kurosaki's house two spiritual energies appeared – the two energies of a Taichio and a Fuku-Taichio that I knew very well.

We were both silent – the sky continued to melt, revealing not the equally beautiful night sky, but the grey, angry clouds belonging to that of a storm.

It would rain tonight. Breaking the silence, I sighed, grabbing my hat and put it back on my head, and rolled my shoulders – the easygoing vibes of the night suddenly tense and anxious.

"They're here."


	4. Arc 1 Chapter 4

**Ahh, a new day, a new chapter! It does my heart good to see this going out like this.**

**So, in case you haven't realized, this story will contain language, lots and lots of language! And hopefully violence…I haven't really gotten to the violent parts yet, but I'm still hoping I can write some good fight sequences! And, yes, I am a major fan of Kuchiki Rukia, she is the most awesome character ever!**

**Hope all you other Rukia fan's enjoy!**

**Who own's Bleach? Not me!**

_**Say what you mean, not what you feel.  
Only Fate can find itself now.  
All that has been is forgotten,  
And all that is left is the thrill. **_

_**Begin Chapter Four:**_

* * *

"So this is the Soul Society...it's much nicer than outside the walls." It was true; everything in here was hard stone. It reminded of a computer chip, the way the walls were ridged throughout the city. I had arrived through a courtyard, and began to walk the streets randomly, searching for somebody to talk to. I didn't know what I was going to say...I was half scared that as soon as somebody saw me wondering around, they would start screaming and I would be chased out of here.

I wondered if Rien knew where it was...if she did, then that would definitely save me a lot of head pain.

"Where do you suppose the school is?" I tried my best to blend in, keeping my face un-awed from what I saw.

_**"No idea...just ask somebody, relax, you're not a threat to anyone here, and they've recently become very lax on their Ryoka watch."**_

The last part of her answer was more of a muse to herself; I didn't know what the word 'Ryoka' meant, but I didn't bother to ask her about it. She seemed to be concentrating intently on something, and it didn't feel quite right bothering her for something so stupid. The streets were abnormally empty, and it reminded me of how the streets had been in Rukongai as I made my way closer and closer to the Seiminon. As empty as the streets were, though, I just couldn't shake the feeling that someone...something, somewhere was watching me.

That I wasn't nearly as invisible as I thought I was.

**"**_**You're right...A Taichio has probably already taken note of our presence. Your spiritual energy isn't small enough to not be taken note of."**_ Her voice sounded grim; I didn't know what to think of that, but there was something more important that I wanted to finally address.

"My spiritual energy? What are you talking about?" She had gone on about it before, and her not telling her was starting to grate on my nerves. I wasn't used to not knowing things; being tied to an omniscient voice in my head had spoiled me a bit, but, damn it all if I was going to stand for it any longer. Rien couldn't go on keeping things from me; this was my life she was playing with! Well...it was my death...afterlife...bah. She understood what I was getting at, which had me irritated even more.

I looked around the pristine white of the walls...it seemed familiar to me, seeing such high walls and smooth stones. Something about the shape of them...the colour...the feeling of being surrounded be all sides, unable to reach the place that above all else, I was desperate to go. The edges of my vision blurred...was I tired? I suddenly felt as if I wanted to sleep...I closed my eyes...

"Hey there stranger, where are you heading?"

I froze, every cell in my body seizing up, preparing to experience pain - my sleepiness fizzled - packed away into the smallest part of my head, forgotten and completely ignored.

'_Relax!'_ I told myself at the same time there was a whisper of, _**"Calm down"**_

I prepared myself, and faced him. He was a very tall, large man with dark hair and dark eyes. He wore a...

**"**_**A Taichio's Haori," **_Came the information.

Yes, a Taichio Haori...this man was a Taichio. But, he also wore what looked like a cheap women's frock…weird…

"Umm...I'm trying to find the Academy for Shinigami. My name is..." oh shit, "Well, I don't have a name yet, but names don't really matter that much, do they? Anywho, have any idea how to get to the Academy?"

Of course he knows you idiot, I scolded myself; he's a freaking Captain, if he didn't know he wouldn't be a very keen Captain now would he?

"You don't have a name? Oh dear, now that won't do." He smiled and I felt a little at ease, "My name is Shunsui Kyôraku, Captain of Eighth Company, feel free to call me Shunsui for now."

**"**_**Tell him to call you something – it'll make things easier. Just think of a name, anything will do!"**_

"Okay and…well, um..." I looked around - searching for inspiration - but sadly nothing came to mind, and I was stick gaping around like an idiot. "Thank you." I finished lamely, grimacing as I felt unbridled irritation in my head that was not my own.

"No problem." He grinned lazily, "Let me show you to the Academy, you're not entering during the regular semester times, but I think I can persuade them to allow it."

I liked him. A lot. Even if I was feeling like a huge idiot that the moment.

As he went ahead, I eagerly followed behind. Falling into step behind him, we passed through many buildings that were full of Shinigami. For a few moments, they regarded me with a strange expression, but Shunsui seemed to ward them off with his cheerful smiles.

"Hey," I said suddenly as an idea struck me, "Do you know a Shinigami with dark hair and violet eyes? Her blade is white and..."

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, and for some reason I felt as if I had said something taboo, so I broke off my explanations with a drawn out and.

"Do you know her?" He asked me lightly, but there was a weight behind his words that told me his question had more to it than I thought it would.

"No." I replied, "Or, maybe. I think that she's the Shinigami who saved me." As I spoke, flashes of terror swept through me. Images of horrifying white masks and cold, violent air. A flash of white steel, and indigo, and then nothing at all. "I mean...the Shinigami who brought me here to the Soul Society."

We stopped momentarily as I regained my wits.

"She told me her name – but I can't remember it." I looked into his dark eyes, willing him to understand these feelings that I myself did not.

"I need to find her." I realized just how dramatic I was sounding, so I attempted to ease the tension, "I mean, I was thinking about asking her about where she brought me from, I mean - I really don't remember anything about my life, and...well, maybe she could tell me my name." I laughed lamely and shrugged.

He regarded me for some time, searching my eyes for something, until he finally nodded, "Yes, she is a member of Thirteenth Company. But," his eyes glimmered, "She is unavailable." He smiled, and though I was suspicious of his words, I knew that arguing with a Taichio was probably not the smartest thing.

"I see then, perhaps another time." I didn't really know what to think of it, but I knew that Rien wanted me to enter the Shinigami Academy.

_**"****Afterwards," **_Rien said,**"**_**You will cross paths with the one you dream about one day, but not as soon as you would like. First, you must train to become a Shinigami."**_

Shinigami. I looked at Shunsui, and took in his appearance once more.

Broad and tall; I could sense the power that flowed off of him, try as he might to hide that power through such an un-kept appearance. He must be powerful…I wanted to ask him about this 'Thirteenth Company' and what the hell that meant, but a small burst of energy behind me alerted me to another presence.

"Shunsui," A shorter boy with white hair walked towards us. A shiver ran up my spine, and the climate seemed to get cooler and cooler with every step he took. The boy also wore a Taichio's Haori, and just by looked at him; I could tell he was powerful. His eyes met mine, and I saw curious emerald green staring back at me, but there was also a degree of _ice_ hidden within his gaze. "You weren't at the Taichio's meeting," he continued in a bored voice, his eyes warily rested upon me.

"Oh, yes, I forgot about that; I was just showing around my new friend here. Toushiro, this is an academy hopeful that I've just met today. She doesn't remember her name yet, though." He added gravely.

"Taichio Hitsugaya," he corrected, and I obliged him with a polite bow.

"Taichio, yes, of course."

Around me, youths around my age started to appear, wearing red and blue uniforms. These must be the Academy students; I must be in the right place. I glanced sheepishly at Shunsui, and he must have understood my impatience, because he smiled warmly and turned to the other Taichio.

"Of course," he continued to Toshiro, "Ms. Hopeful must be on her way, or she'll be too late to register for her classes."

I was relieved to get away from them; their pristine white coats were slightly intimidating, and I still didn't understand this world enough to be comfortable. Once I learned, then it would be another story, but I still had to wait until then.

"Thank you again, Shunsui, and it was a pleasure meeting you Taichio," I waved and entered the front of the academy; butterflies dancing in my stomach, as well as flying around my head.

* * *

Toshiro watched intently as the strange girl bowed to them and disappeared into the crowds.

"So," Shunsui sighed, "Some girl, huh?"

Toushiro couldn't help but agree.

"She walked beside me for more than five minutes, and my spiritual energy didn't even bother her a bit. I have to admit, I had a bit of fun playing around with it for a while, but even then she didn't seem to notice."

Toushiro scoffed, and went along his way towards his office, "Well then I guess we'll be seeing her again soon."

"Jindanbo also let her into the Seiretei without a permit, or without making her get one to enter the Academy."

Shunsui said it more to himself that the other Taichio, but he knew that Toushiro would find it interesting.

A hell butterfly fluttered onto Shunsui's coat, and a silent voice inquired about where he was and when he would stop daydreaming and get his butt back to the barracks. He sighed, and sent his own butterfly to the headmaster's office of the academy, telling him who would be visiting his office very soon, and what he was to do when he saw her.

"I wonder…if that girl even knew about the vast amounts of reiatsu she was spilling out...soon, she'll need someone to teach her how to control it, eh Toshiro?"

Hitsugaya didn't stop, but merely mumbled to himself, "It's Taichio Hitsugaya."

* * *

**_End Chapter Four_**

**_Bonus:_**

* * *

"Is it true?"

"No way – it couldn't be, there hasn't been a student since in a hundred years that was that powerful."

"I wonder, but you head Taichio and Fuku-Taichio talking about it…do you think we could find her?"

"Maybe – we should try tomorrow, she should be easy to find."

"Yeah, just find the girl who looks like she could kick your ass."

"_You're_ ass, maybe, but no walk-in from Rukongai could even compare to me."

I sighed, trying to block out the pointless gossip of the Company members. It seemed that all that happened these days in the Seiretei was gossip gossip and more gossip. Like what happened with Kuchiki Rukia in the human world. Now that had been spreading like wild fire, but it seemed that these tales of the girl Taichio had met were slowly but surely overcoming that.

Again, I thought about the girl, though I told myself not to. She wasn't something to think about on a day that had so much work to be done, but, I couldn't stop myself. Taichio had spoken of her like she was a long lost comrade, and while he spoke of her, I found myself thinking of her in that way too, which was most unbecoming of a Fuku-Taichio.

"Nanao – you shouldn't look so serious, you're face might get stuck that way. Though, I do have to admit, it wouldn't look any less pretty."

I sighed again, exasperated this time, and turned a wary eye to my Taichio, who was leaning against the doorway to our office, grinning and looking downright hearty.

"Well, Taichio, someone in this Company has to be serious, and it's not ever going to be you."

I didn't mind, though – in truth, not every Taichio should be a straight-laced up tight Taichio like -, but I did mind when Taichio Kyoraku neglected to do his duties and elected to spend his time snoozing on the roof. Somehow, the paperwork he didn't do got shifted onto my shoulders.

"Aw, Nanao-chan, there's no reason to be like that. Come on, let's take a break and relax, wipe that burden from your back."

I couldn't deny that some part of me wanted to take him up on his offer, but I couldn't help the way I had been raised.

"No, Taichio. Not this time, I have too much work to do."

I turned back to my seat and prepared to reduce the stack of papers on my desk. Beside me, a figure thudded onto the floor, and Taichio Kyoraku took of his hat and placed it beside him, before picking up a wick and grabbing half of the stack from in front of me. He received my questioning stare with another broad grin and tilted his head as he spoke, "I've been letting you work too hard again, Nanao. When we finish up, we'll meet up with Toshiro, Aizen, Kira and Momo for a much needed break."

Though I wasn't too thrilled about going out, I was thankful for the help. I adjusted my glasses and returned to my papers. Now I could finally relax.


	5. Arc 1 Chapter 5

**Hello again peeps – so yeah, I know most of you probably don't appreciate the view I've taken on this, but I have to say – I think it's brilliant!**

**And…well, my opinion is really all that matters! Jk – I do care about your opinions, but not the ones that really don't matter. ****Right, moving on –****I just want to mention that this chapter, for some odd reason, was really difficult to write, so I hope that you all can bear with me – I tried as hard as I could to get through it, but whenever I wrote it, it felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall.**

**Oh, and I will be ****trying ****to tie this tale in with the manga, not the anime – and as things change in the manga, I'll try to tie those in to. ****This fic was originally supposed to take place when Rukia was imprisoned in the tower, after she gives Ichigo her powers, but I'm thinking about changing that, considering how long this would be if I started from there. Give me your input guys, 'cause I'm really wondering here. Oh, and I just wanted to mention:**

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!**

**Okay...moving on...**

**I do not own Bleach. Not even the kind they use on clothes.**

_**Will this world ever be something more than a world?  
Can I hope for a greater existence than this - this life of normality and bore?  
Indeed - I wish for the normal to become abnormal, and for the forces of heaven to work within me, so that I may become great.  
This is my wish.**_

_**Begin Chapter Five:**_

* * *

_"Who are you?"_

_The whisper was so close to me ear, that I whipped my head around to look. Nothing was there. Nothing but grey smoke that hazed around the edges of my vision. At that time, I was nothing. I wasn't anyone, I wasn't anything - and none of it even mattered to me. But, for some time, I felt the dim pangs of emptiness; of being something that didn't really matter. _

_And, what was worse, I didn't know why. _

_It was a strange, glowing mist - the looks of it were new to me, but...as I breathed in, I couldn't help but notice how familiar the taste was - how friendly the cool, creeping mist felt, and the realization that something, anything, felt familiar, made my entire body ache. _

_I felt...many things. Alone, terrified, hopeless, homeless...but of all these things, there arose an even greater feeling that had me falling to my knees, tears prickling my eyes. I was without a mission. I was without purpose. I had felt empty for so long, but...on the verge of this space, where that familiar taste fell on my lips again, I knew that at some point I had been something. This taste...this feeling...it awoke emotions that I never knew I could posses. _

_'Who are you?' the voice has asked, and for the first time, I wondered what the answer to that was. _

_Because I wanted a name. I wanted a life. I wanted meaning. But, I didn't want to by anybody. No, I wanted something more - and simply existing was too little for me. I wanted what I had felt - what this taste invoked within me; but how could I just will myself into being? I didn't know how to make myself exist. _

_"Who am I!" The scream rose from my throat without me consciously doing it; it echoed across the mist, across the space, and it seemed to thin out the mist - i could see large shapes through the white, and they were becoming clearer - my heart lept into my chest, and I reached forward, what I was reaching to, I didn't know, but I knew that I wanted whatever was there. _

_Suddenly, something fell from the sky - engulfing me within it. And I heard it - the world changing voice; I heard it...but, what was it saying? Before I could ask, before I could even wonder what to do next, a flash of heat surrounded me, and I died. _

Gasping, I jolted out of bed - hand on mt heart, head dizzy and nauseous. I groaned when I realized where I was; dream forgotten in the early moments of consciousness.

I was in my bed, of course, and the sun was shining through the window, annoyingly into my eyes. It wasn't the fact that the sun was in my eyes that bothered me, no; it was the fact that today was the day of the initiation exam. Before I could become an official student of the academy, I had to pass a test to prove that I had what it took to survive in the Academy and get into the Gotei Thirteen. Not that I really even knew what the Gotei Thirteen was...Rien was adamant about not sharing that with me, which I wasn't sure was a good thing or not.

**And **Rien had forced me to apply for the advanced class, that jerk; I was convinced that she was trying to kill me.

I had been welcomed into the academy, the headmaster had taken one look at me and his eyes had widened as big as dinner plates. I couldn't help but feel that the warm way he welcomed me had something to do with Shunsui's promise of helping me get into this strange place. The headmaster, Huichi-Dono, had immediately directed me to the dorms that I would be staying in and instructed that I get a good rest before tomorrow, where I would be tested with the other entries. They would select three of us to enter the classes, in my case, the honour classes and the rest would have to wait until the next semester to re-apply. I would be working against a hundred other trainees who wanted it, and frankly, I wasn't feeling so sure of myself.

_**"What's wrong with you?"**_ Rien scolded_, **"Why are you so scared?"**_

"Why am I scared? Hmm, let's see, I practically know nothing about what I'm going to be doing and all of those trainees probably know the test like the back of their hands," I pulled my shirt off and put on the folded white robe that I would be wearing to the test.

"And it's not only that," I flung myself onto the bed, and looked out of the window at the clear blue sky.

"I feel scared, I'm deathly afraid of not making it, and I don't understand why. I feel…unprepared for this, like my life is about to change and there's nothing I can do about it. And…I don't know if I want this."

_**"Seleena,"**_ Rien embraced me in the only way she could – she combined with me mentally, like a warm fire that burned within my soul, and gave me comfort, **_"You have nothing to fear. There is a power deep inside of you that glows with a fierceness that could compete with the strongest of this world. And besides, you have me with you – and I will never abandon you. So, face forward and keep walking, because you can't lose Trust me…this is something you must do."_**

I sat there in the silence for a while, contemplating my existence in this place. The fear of the unknown kept me from relaxing; I thought about going back, going back to the Seventh District and leaving this entire thing behind me, but then I thought about her.

The Shinigami with the indigo eyes and the white Zanpaktuô.

Her face; twisted into that face of terror and hatred; her own sorrow filled me, and I was brought back to that unspeakable place of black sky and frigid white sands.

I didn't know if that event was of the future or the past, but I did know that it was real.

_**"How do you know?"**_

Her question caught me off guard, and I thought about my reasons for knowing that that woman was in danger. I couldn't think of anything that could lead to a verification of what I thought.

"I don't know. You know, I'm probably wrong about this." I hated to admit it, but I couldn't stop myself…I wondered if everything was really there – if I was really at the hands of these ominous Shinigami. Who could I trust? Who could I count on?

The sky was the same as yesterday; bright blue with barely any clouds. I wondered if the weather ever changed; it hadn't rained in all the time I had been here. Sighing, I decided that I would continue on, like Rien advised I should, but I still couldn't shake off the gnawing feeling in my gut…the icy realization…

I was still afraid.

* * *

I watched the never-changing sky as I walked to the training area behind the Academy, and I did my best to not think about what I was about to do. I arrived at my destination quicker than I had expected, and for a moment I thought I had gotten the directions wrong, until Rien told me otherwise.

_**"**__**Do you feel that?**"_ she asked.

My stomach felt odd, something sizzled inside of me; moving…pulsing…

_**"It's spiritual pressure, the spiritual pressure of the others taking the test."**_

Right…I was more confused than I had been when I first entered the Soul Society, but I didn't get to place my questions.

I entered the area for the exams, and there stood three rows of other's wearing the same outfit as me. Their gazes fell on my warily, watching me with dark, mysterious eyes. I met their gazes with curious looks of my own, tinted with slight smugness and haughtiness. Though I was scared to death of this test, and the fear of failing, I couldn't help but want to beat them.

I wanted to beat them all.

My sudden need to overcome them was certainly out of place, but I wasn't complaining. I abruptly felt very confident, though moments ago I had been scared to death. I handed in my application papers to the Procter, though, most of what I had written down were lies and educated guesses at best. How the hell was I supposed to know if I even had spiritual energy? And I was supposed to guess how high it was? I put down that it was enough to fry the person who made up these stupid questions.

Surprisingly, Rien didn't scold me for it.

We were lining up alphabetically, and I panicked. I didn't have a name - I didn't know if I needed one, but in that moment, I decided that I would have to come up with something, or else have to deal with something very irritating and annoying. I scrambled mentally, searching for something I could remember; I wanted to remember what I had been called in life - why couldn't I remember my name? I wanted to know it! Who in the hell was I-

I couldn't explain what happened next - it was like being sucked into a airless void. I couldn't breath, and I couldn't move - but inside of me, things where changing without my permission. I was surrounded by mist again, (again? I wondered briefly, when had this happened before?) and there was a voice - a voice that cut into me - deeply, and inexplicably, it dug deep into my being, and I heard it's words in my heart.

_"What will you do, Yamatoe Seleena?"_

Yamatoe Seleena. Yamatoe Seleena. Yamatoe Seleena. The more I thought about it, the more it became a part of me, and I realized that that was me - my name. Not something made up...it was _my name_. The revelation shook me deeply; I hadn't had a name in so long; I hadn't had an identity...and I hadn't realized how much it had hurt until now.

Without thinking about how or why it did, I took my place on front of the 'Y' section of the line, and turned my attention to the proctor, trying not to look as if I was on the verge of tears.

'Pull yourself together!' I ordered myself, un-clenching my fists and taking some deep breaths. This wasn't such a big deal - it wasn't something that should affect me so. Yet it did...and I wondered where that vision had come from; and who had said my name in such a serious way. It was too far gone - I hadn't the fainted clue as to where it had sprung from, or how I had even sprung it, but that mattered little to me now. I was standing in front of Shinigami who were watching my every move, examining before the actual exam. In the seriousness of the moment, I pushed away all of my uncertainty, and focused.

The Proctor rambled on about how this was an important day in our lives, and how lucky we should feel that we got this far. But, we should take into consideration how hard this would be – how challenging being in the Academy would be, and that this was the chance for us to back out if we didn't think we were ready.

I scoffed to myself, but a few of other's actually gathered their things and left. I didn't know what to make of that. I shrugged it off.

'_Weaklings,'_ I thought, _'They're too scared and weak to be here; let them leave.'_

I didn't stop to think that maybe they were the smart ones. I was too busy thinking about mists and voices, reaching out to me from the beyond.

* * *

"Guilty." Yamamoto-Genryūsai Shigekuni Sou-Taichou broadcast his best serious face and loud, booming voice.

The other Taichio's gathered around the defendant, who stood still and lifeless; a pale-skinned prisoner against the black of the desolation room.

"You are found guilty of the following crimes; treason against the Soul Society, ignorance and rash mutilation of you fellow Shinigami and war crimes involving the traitor Aizen Sosuke. The penalty for such an assault against the Soul Society is eternal imprisonment. Do you accept these charges?"

The pale prisoner shook from the force of the Sou-Taichio's mighty reiatsu, but she bit her lip and bared it. Her eyes flickered to the Taichio's gathered around her, their eyes betraying nothing of what they might be feeling, as they watched the judgment be passed.

Her mind raced back to the previous day, which had started out so innocent…so well…how did everything spiral out of control? What did she do to deserve this?

But…she knew what she did. She killed and lied and betrayed her fellow Shinigami. For that, she would have to die.

"I accept."

* * *

_**"Dodge!"**_

Her voice warned me, again, a millisecond before my opponent was able to lay a hand on me, allowing me to move easily out of the way, and deliver a blow with my own bokken.

It was the fifth spar of my test, and I was doing well.

I had passed, though the first one was almost a disaster, until I finally swallowed my pride and began to listen to the voice in the back of my head. My pride throbbed every time she warned me about something – every time she saw something before I even thought to look, but I pressed on.

Sometimes, you just gotta roll with the punches and go with what you have to to make things work. And if it meant relying on Rien this much, then I would have to do it. It didn't help, knowing that I owed her this much. I would have to repay her someday.

_**"Pay attention!"**_

She barked at me again, just as my opponent was about to deliver a final blow. Gracefully, I side-stepped and, without using my bokken, delivered a few punches to his mid-section, before kicking him in the side, sending him spiralling outside of the circle.

That was it. The fifth, and final battle was mine. Panting, I looked back to the Procter and the exam authoritators, who watched from their stand in the front of the ring. I was the last student to go – apparently Yamatoe was low down on the alphabet, who knew? I didn't really care – first, second, last…they all meant the same thing. We hadn't been allowed to watch another's entrance exam, so going last really didn't give me any pointers. I just knew that I had a bunch of people who I could one-up, with no one to come up behind me and steal it all away.

"The final series will be the test of level of Reiatsu and ability to perform a basic Kidou."

'_Okay,'_ I thought happily to myself, _'The last test – and you're done.'_

I was surprised, though, at how much I had enjoyed these tests – being evaluated for my skill, being able to take on each task and conquer it…it was thrilling.

'_What do I have to do next, Rien?'_

I knew that it had something to with a demonstration – something about chanting and doing some hocus magic stuff, but I never really understood the gist of it. It sounded like fun, though, and I was curious to find out what was going on.

'_Rien?'_ I asked again, waiting for her voice to whisper in the back of my head.

"Here is you next task," The Proctor laid out a sheet of paper in front of me, which had word's written on it. There were five lines, the first was a small, simple sentence, while the last one was longer and complex.

I blinked – really having no idea what the hell was going on.

**"_Repeat the last line."_**

Her voice came clipped and cold…I wondered about it briefly, before I thought about what she had said. The…last line…Well, alright then.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring,"

Why was Rien mad at me? This was the final part of my test…the last thing I would do before I became part of the Shinigami world…as everything moved around me, I wondered if this was what I really wanted. I thought back to before, the fear I had felt, the apprehension about doing this…Somehow, I had moved past that in the few minutes I had been taking the test.

'_I…I think I like this.'_

The realization came upon me, moving the very foundation of who I was. Being here – in this room, feeling a part of something – it was addicting, the power flowing through my veins…

'_I think…that I want to be a Shinigami.'_

But, I hadn't trusted Rien before…I hadn't trusted that she would be leading me to something I liked…something I needed…And I needed her…whatever this spell was, whatever it was supposed to do, I wouldn't be able to do it on my own – I could feel the emptiness inside of me. The power I had experience before…Well, there was no power without her.

"Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm."

'_Rien,'_ I called out, reaching her at the back of my mind, _'I'm sorry about earlier.'_

I thought back to the moment I had doubted her – the time I had agonized over something that she had reassured me about. Guilt washed over me like a storm – washing across me skin and heart. I was so sorry…

**"_Are you resolved?"_**

Her simple question wasn't what I had been expecting – I had thought she would be frigid…seething…betrayed, but she was calm. Accepting. Waiting for my answer. I knew that I couldn't clean the slate completely with just my answer – we would have to continue to live and work together before we could be what she wanted us to be, but I understood that she was a part of me…I could feel her…moving inside of me, helping me.

**'_Yes, I am resolved. Now, please…help me to do this…lend me your strength!'_**

"The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!"

Something was fluttering in my stomach – like my breakfast was clawing to get back outside…It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, so I continued – the pressure building up, feeling like I need release…it kept building and building…how was I supposed to let it out?

**"_The last word, you fo-"_**

The world flowed from my mouth before Rien could finish, "Raikōhō!"

From my palm exploded a huge chain of lightening, crashing forward into the wall of the examination room, bringing down the bricks that held the wall in place. The strength of it threw my backwards, sending me tumbling to the floor, landing right on my behind. After the last piece of the wall fell, there was an eerie silence that burned me ears. I stared forward, unable to comprehend what I had just done…I had destroyed a wall. An entire wall.

'_Well_,' I thought as I turned a guilty eye towards the Proctor, whose eyes were wide and twitching, mouth agape, '_I'm pretty sure I just fucked my chance at getting in._ _What do you think Rien?'_

She didn't respond.

'_Yeah…that's what I thought…'_

* * *

**_End Chapter Five_**

**_Bonus:_**

* * *

"I still can't believe you pulled it off."

She laughed; a heckling laughter that almost made me grin. She was always so wild- so free; it was no wonder most of the Shinigami of the Gotei Thirteen were aware of her existence, though she hadn't bothered to meet any of them in the year she had been at the Academy.

"The truth is, Sensei, after I blew apart that wall, I thought I was totally screwed. I had these visions that they were gonna send my packing, boot me out the door and never let me in the Seiretei again. It wasn't until I was talking with a professor afterwards that I found out that was what the spell was supposed to do."

She rolled her eyes and continued, caught up in her own little world, "I mean, what the hell? Why would they put that spell on the exam anyway if they didn't think anyone would ever be stupid enough to do it? It's was their fault, really, I was just followed Rien's advice."

I was nodding along with her explanation, but her last sentence caught me off guard, and I felt my interest peak, "Rien..?"

Her mouth immediately tightened, and she shot me a sheepish glance, before grinning again, this time nervously, "Oh – Rien is…well, I wasn't planning on telling anyone this, but there's kinda always been this voice in the back of my head that tells me how to do things that I really didn't know how to do…is…is that normal?"

A voice in the back of her head…if I didn't know better, I would think that that was a –

No…it couldn't be…there was no way that she could be hearing it, not yet anyway.

"How long have you heard it?"

Blinking, she frowned, thinking to herself, "Since I woke up in the Soul Society, so…since I can remember anything. She was just always there…and, well, she was the one who told me to come to the Shinigami Academy and she was the one who helped me realize that this was what I wanted to do. Do all people have that voice?"

I shook my head, trying to think of the right way to tell her the truth without revealing too much.

"Not everybody…but, it happens. I wouldn't worry about it. In fact, I think you should embrace it – use it to your own benefit."

"Right," She smiled and crossed her arm, leaning back in the sofa that Rangiku normally took her afternoon naps on.

"Damn, it's been two years already…since I come here…it feels like time is going by so fast…and there was so little time to begin with…"

Her head was hidden behind the back of the sofa, but I could hear her mumbled clearly, I was going to ask about what she meant, when her head suddenly shot up, a curious look on her face.

"Tell me, Sensei, do you have a voice in your head too?"

She, once again, had caught me off guard. I would have to work on my perceptive abilities around her…but, it was a question I should have seen coming.

"You could say that…"

She seemed to accept this answer, and went back to lying down.

I could feel Hyōrinmaru behind my eyes – he had been restless lately, and I knew that he wanted to speak with me. I wondered what it would be like to hear my Zanpaktuô in my head freely, without the barrier between his place and my own.

"That's good. At least I'm not the only freak out there."

"W-what? I'm not a freak!"

She half-turned towards me, giving me the most serious look I'm sure she had ever given me.

"Sure, Sensei. Just keep telling yourself that."

"It's okay, Sensei, one day, when you grow up, you'll understand what I mean."

Grow up? What the hell was she implying? Wait…no…there was no way she could have…

"Oh, I gotta run! My classes start in five! See you later," and before she fully exited, she grinned like a mad-man and added in a teasing voice, "Shiro-chan…"

"No!" I jumped up and splattered my drink down the front of my white haori.

Damn that Momo!


	6. Arc 1 Chapter 6

**Chapter six of **_**The Shinigami's Blade**_**!**

**Whoot! Never thought I would get this far, and I have to say that it's definitely been an uphill journey; I think that I spent more time on this than studying for my exams, but it was worth it.**

**I think...**

**Lol, so, here's the next chapter, and soon we're actually going to be joining the main plot of BLEACH, so here's to hoping most of you stick around for it . ****Oh, and I should mention that reviews are loved – if you like my tale, then SPEAK UP! If you hate it and think it's dumb, SPEAK UP, cause I think that input is great – unless it's a one liner that's useless, for example:**

This sucks. You suck. Go die.

**No, that is not a review that I welcome. Something more in-depth would be nice, for example:**

You're writing skills are great, but the take you have on this is a little weird – and you have some spelling/grammar mistakes in chapter bla line blah, which you should fix, and the proper spelling is Toushiro, not Toshiro.

**In that for-instance, at least I'm learning something guys! So, come on – review after reading, and you might get a cookie!**

_**This is out last dance – the last sweep of our feet across the smooth marble floor -  
Everything ends, and soon we will unwind – all must become undone,  
But, if only for a moment, could I hold you – one last time?  
Let this dance surround us, become us…and maybe freeze us in this spot -  
And repeat this life again and again and again…**_

_**Begin Chapter Six:**_

* * *

Time passed and eventually I adjusted to the life of the Shinigami-in-Training. I passed my test will flying colours and entered the academy with a finesse that was un-like me. The dreams of that woman continued to fade, and I no longer saw her face in my mind. With each passing day, her memory faded, until I almost completely forgot about her. It was too easy; everyday was like entering a new, fantastic land; a world in which I learned everything there was about Shinigami. And it was difficult to think of anything while studying for my Kidou tests; while practising my blocking for my combat class. But, while the visions on the woman with the white Zanpaktou faded, I wasn't freed from visions completely. Every other night, I was whisked away to a far away place that I barely recognized, faced with voices and faces that existed within a mist that never completely lifted. Before the mist went away, I awoke, heart hammering, and the memory of the dream swiftly leaving me.

Yet, two years passed in the blink of an eye, and by the end of that time I knew that I had found my calling. Being a Shinigami was the epitaph of my life, and also the main reason for forgetting the mysterious Shinigami that somehow still haunted my dreams, like a shadow, darting from my vision milliseconds before I could get a good look. But always, the mist remained.

"Yamatoe Seleena." I raised my head, realizing that I had been daydreaming again.

"Would you care to tell us the formula?"

Blinking, I looked down at the notes that I had been unconsciously taking.

Ah, Kidou Class A spells. The last thing I had written down was the number 87, which was one of the oldest spells in the history of the Soul Society, and to this day only three people had been able to successfully perform the spell. The spell 87, one of the highest Class A spells in existence, had a formula that was only known to the highest grade Kidou casters. The bastard was trying to make me look foolish.

I stood up, and began to recite.

"Eridous, ruler of the ocean, Aulidous, ruler of the wind, Casious, ruler of the mountain and Rakicious, ruler of the light."

The room was silent, and I sat back down, picking up my pencil and wrote down a few more lines of the real topic of today's class. I knew that right now, the teacher was fuming; enraged that I had been able to best him and also curious as to how I could have possibly known the formula.

After a few more seconds passed, he cleared his throat and continued with the lesson, moving onto Class C spells, which was what the rest of the class was trained in. I didn't bother to pay attention for any of it, making a show of starring at the ceiling. After the first year, my Kidou classes had become more boring than entertaining. The theory classes, at least, were like that. I still loved the procedure and pattern classes. Actually acting out Kidou was much more thrilling than anything; reciting the incantations, feeling the power tingling through my veins…Tomorrow we were having a test on high-rate, Class C or better Kidou's; the more advanced Kidou we preformed, the better mark we would receive and I was thrilled for it. It was also the third years placement exams, which I was even more enthralled about. Finally, after two long, grueling years, I would be able to become a third year and go and fight hollow's in the real world.

This day just couldn't end fast enough. Ronu-Dono went on for a while longer, and I gazed longingly outside of the window at the student's training barracks. Stupid theory class…we should be training out there!

"Damn," I whispered, ignoring the distasteful looks of my classmates. As my eyes roamed across the outside, looking for anything to pay attention to besides the class, I saw them.

Judging by the annoyed look on their faces, they must have been waiting a while for me to see them.

'Hey!' I mouthed, waving my fingers at them.

They both glowered.

'Wait for me! I'll be down soon.'

The bell rang at that moment and I leapt from my seat, running out of the room before the Dono could protest. Before fleeing from the academy building, I stashed my books in my locker and grabbed my sparring outfit.

"Kita! Nigel!"

I waved my arms haphazardly, almost hitting a professor in the back of the head as I stormed out the doors and down the steps of the Academy.

"Sorry guys! I totally forgot to tell you that my class today had been moved to this morning. Have you been waiting long?"

I could tell by the way Nigel's face scrunched up that my blatant refusal to take the issue seriously pissed him off. Oh well. He was always pissed off at something. Like today would be any different, I could have been on time, rearing to go, and he would have found something wrong with it. I guess that that's just how people are sometimes.

"Not that long," Kita stepped forward, smiling, "But I think Nigel really wanted to spar today. I'm gonna practise my chants, so if you two wanna start off, I might be up for a three-way in a little while."

Grinning, I nodded, and turned to Nigel, knowing that he would all for that plan. We geared up in the protective equipment that was mandatory for all training students to wear when they were seriously sparing – something that I thought was ridiculous. We were Shinigami – wearing equipment was useless when we had our protective spells, so what was the point? Whatever. I didn't think that that was going to change anytime soon, so I grinned and bared it, focusing only on the fight ahead of me.

Looking into Nigel's eyes, I knew that he was resolved to try his best to hurt me, maybe even kill me today. He didn't hate me; he just took these things really seriously. Well…that's I how I chose to view it…whether it was true or not was a different thing entirely.

"Okay, Nigel, same rules at always? Or – would you rather fight my way?" I asked warmly, knowing what his response was going to be.

"Hell no – first on to forfeit is the loser. You're way is cowardly."

I bit back a response, but knew that anything I would say would make him mad, and fighting a mad man always resulted in either two things.

He dies, or you do.

"Alright then. Let's do this…now!"

And we were off, dancing in the way only warriors could – using every ounce of their strength, not just physical, but mental, spiritual and the strength that comes from within – that flows out, like water – like rays…

I hated to admit it, but sometimes I couldn't concentrate when I was fighting – my mind wandered…I knew that if I ever admitted that to someone like Nigel, they would have an aneurysms and would get one of those giant poppy veins…Nigel rushed at me, trying to knock me off balance with his greater height, but I swooped below him and darted out of his way, waiting for him to regain his balance, before propelling myself forward and swiping my blade horizontally almost catching him with a deep gash.

I berated myself. I had to be more careful. If I cut him the wrong way, then our fight would end…and I would be once again forced to wait around until he get over himself and admitted defeat. But, of course, tomorrow he would be barking at me to fight again…I did admire his tenacity, though, it was one of his greatest features, and would probably carry him to the greatest of heights. Though, he did have to work on his losing attitude…and hell, I didn't want to see his winning attitude…I prepared to deliver an almost mortal blow to his blade-wielding arm, when I heard the tolling of the clock tower through the haze of my battle mode.

Subconsciously, I counted the tolls, and when they came to an end, I hesitated. Recounting them in my head, sure that I had heard wrong, I wheeled around, feeling the cool, biting flesh of Nigel's blade sweep across my arm before I grabbed it, holding the steel steady. It couldn't be five already, could it? I shot another furtive glance to the clock tower.

Dammit.

"Sorry, Nigel!" I spun him around and pushed him towards Kita, "You'll have to spar with her for a while – I have another class."

"What?" he screamed, shock and anger filled the cry, but I was already out the gates, pulling at my training gear. I sped through a group of third-years, muttering apologies as I broke their happy conversation.

I flew out of the Academy state gates, making my way to the Gotei thirteen Squad training areas, Shinigami pilling around me as they went about their evening routines, ignoring my rampant dash. They weren't being snobby…they were just used to it by now.

"Hey Seleena-"

"Late again, Seleena?"

"Never mind her, that's Seleena. She's always running through here at this time-"

I was in too much of a hurry to return any greeting I was given, and too indifferent to flip off the ones that pointed and laughed. Finally, I made it past the Ninth division barracks, and after that I was able to Shunpo fast enough that no one would notice my disappearance. Through the main training area of the Tenth Company, I dodged black blurs to my left and right until I finally made it into the Company's underground training facility. Well, I thought that 'Training Facility' was a bit of a stretch. It looked more like a dungy basement to me, but my Sensei said that it was a Training Facility, so that's what I was forced to call it. I dropped down into the cool underground, at least a hundred feet, and faced my Sensei, who stood scowling at me, his aquamarine eyes baring icy holes into my gut.

"Good afternoon, Sensei." I tried to steal my gaze, but my eyes stayed glued to his sword, waiting for him to draw it and teach me another lesson in punctuation.

He said nothing.

"I…uh, I was fighting and-"

His eyebrow rose.

"No!" I realized my mistake, "I mean, mock fighting, like Taichio's do – like kittens do!"

The other eyebrow rose.

"But, of course," I stuttered, "I'm not comparing Taichio's to kittens, unless these kittens are amazingly strong, buff, fighting tiger kittens that can wield swords and fly high above their enemies with ice wings that-"

"Seleena."

I flinched and bit my lip, "Right, I'll stop talking now."

He rolled his eyes, classic Hitsugaya Taichio style and sighed, "Relax, you aren't even late."

Sputtering, my eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, "What? Then, why did you look at me like that?"

He paused, blinking, before answering in a monotone voice, "Like what?"

"Like you were really pissed-" I stopped mid-sentence. He always looked like that.

"Never mind, let's…let's just do this thing."

He glared at me, but then shrugged, "Fine," and crossed his arms, "You're C-class skills exam is tomorrow, right?"

"Yeppers – and today we were told that Riesel-Dono is the Under Proctor."

"Good," he nodded, "So, have you decided?"

"What I'm going to do? Meh. I have no idea."

His mouth tightened. "No idea?"

"None," I sighed and sat down, cross-legged on the floor, "I can't decide! I wish I could do more than one example for each subject. I would do a restraining Kidou and an element Kidou – maybe some sort of summoning-"

"Just one." He broke in, reminding me of my discomfort, "On Kidou, One Technique, One Spar, and one Personal Show."

"Personal Show? The crap is that?" I asked absent-mindedly, still mentally leafing through all the different Kidou's I could perform.

When he didn't answer, I pulled myself from me mental world and met his gaze, "Why are your eyes popping out of your head? And where the heck did that vein come from? Have you always had that?"

His jaw unclenched and he spoke slowly, "You…don't know what the Personal Show is?"

I shook my head.

"Didn't you listen while they were telling you about the exam!"

"No," I snorted, "Of course not."

He glared, seething to himself, his chest rising and falling with each laboured breath.

"Well, at least your honest," he bit out, "But seriously – the Personal Show is the most important one of them all! It's where the recruits show one move, one ability that sets them apart from the rest of their classmates – the thing that puts you in the honors class, or could even get you chosen for the Gotei Thirteen right then and there."

"Set apart? But…" I felt my heart drop, "What do I do! I don't even know that I'm going to do with the rest of the exam, how the hell am I supposed to decide what to do for that!" my hands found their way to me face, clawing at me eye, which were dangerously close to tearing up.

"Just relax," Sensei sighed, "and work on what you know. You'll think of something, now, show me what you have prepared for the Kidou portion, and afterwards we'll spar. I can't tell you what to do for your Personal Show, but I can help with the rest of it."

I swallowed, and breathed in deeply, calming my nerves.

"Thank you, Hitsugaya Taichio," and I bowed deeply towards him, thankful that I had somehow became friends with such a kind Taichio.

* * *

Everything about this hour was trying to set me over the edge. I could feel my sanity slipping away as I got closer and closer to the dreaded moment. I felt my fingers tingle as I cast, my lips moving unconsciously, my hands trembling from the thrill that I always seemed to feel when I cast.

"Art of the war – scarlet letters cast from the underworld, cut across the starry universe. Into the flames of the mind, hear the plea of the peasants as the orange colourised sky sings with the skeleton canary."

The power of the chant was not lost on me – I knew that I could perform most of my kidou's without chanting the spell, but I couldn't help myself. Doing the spell without the incantation might have got me a higher grade, but feeling my voice swell, the notes hit a perfect harmony, echoing in the room…I opened my eyes, setting my sites on the target (One that was a hundred times more reinforced than the target of my first test, I hoped). I took one more, steadying breath, before releasing the power within my gut and letting out the Title Spell in a booming, steady voice.

"Haien!"

From my palm shot out the purple light that I knew held more destructive power than it looked. It collided with the target, blowing it to nothing within seconds. After that, I found myself facing another student, holding a nameless Zanpaktuô, ready to fight and show off my sparing abilities, which had thankfully become better since taking lessons from Sensei and Rankigu.

It wasn't hard to cut him down, but that wasn't the point, which sensei had drilled into my head for the past few months. I had to move and deflect every movement with one of my own – a block, and spin – anything, but something that said I was ready to fight Hollow's in a squad. Finally, after a good fifteen minutes of playing with my opponent, I thought knew that I couldn't put if off any longer, or it might looked like I lacked the skills to disarm an opponent, so I slashed and caught him off guard, his Zanpaktuô flying behind him.

Now, it was the dreaded moment – the Personal Show, and I still hadn't figured out what the hell I was going to do. My mind blanked, and my plans to ad lib something amazing drained slowly, leaving my terrified and embarrassed as I stood, facing the Proctor's, my head bent as I hid my eyes.

'_Arg!'_ I growled, and mentally glared at my head, _'Rien! Why the hell didn't you tell me about it! You asshole!'_

_**"**__**You should have been paying attention to your classes, dumbass**_." She replied haughtily, _**"And you had weeks to prepare, it's not fault you lack the brain cells to do work on time, You lazy slacker!"**_

'_Shut up! This is all your fault!'_

**"**_**My fault? What the hell! How dare you pin this mess on me?"**_

'_I dare! I double dare! You're lucky I don't come on in there and-'_

**"**_**And do what? You couldn't even lay a finger on me! You're weak and pathetic! You couldn't even train for this exam properly! If it were me, I would have already mastered everything that needed to be done AND had back-ups ready for a moment like this, and I would never have-"**_

"SHUT THE HELL UP, RIENSAKU!"

My voice seemed to reverberate around the room – louder than I thought I could have ever yelled in my entire life – afterlife. At my side, clenched tightly in my fist, the nameless Zanpaktuô that they had given me to fight with began to burn and tremble. Shocked, I started at it as it started to glow, and yelped with it began to burn my hand. I threw it down in front of me and stepped back – my hand numb, and my chest tight – something was happening, not just in front of me…but inside me too.

It…it felt really strange – the sword in front of me glowed so brightly that I had to close my eyes, and then shield them with my hand.

I felt the heat, but all I heard was the whispered sigh in the back of my mind -

**"**_**Finally…"**_

* * *

_**End Chapter Six**_

_**Bonus:**_

* * *

"You know, I always wondered about that part of the Seiretei," she motioned to the large white tower – the Repentance Cell, which held those who were doomed to death. I should have known that someone like her would wonder about something like that.

Since she was an official member of the Gotei Thirteen, I knew that she deserved to know what everything was, but I could hardly find the will to talk about such boring things. This was a night of celebration, not a night to be asking questions that could be answered tomorrow. And besides, this was a rare occasion – my Taichio had actually ordered that I take the day off and spend it showing Seleena around so that he could make time for Hinamori and Yachiru to prepare the Celebration Room. I wondered about Taichio's relationship with the girl, but after spending the entire day with her, I could understand how he had come to enjoy her.

The way she spoke, the way she said things, it was with the utmost clarity and straight forwardness. Not to mention that she was hilarious, my type of girl all around. I could tell that we were going to get along just fine.

"Oh, ignore that stupid place – we can talk about it tomorrow, heck, we have eons to talk. Now, we've gone over the locations of all the Companies, right? How to file papers and how to-"

"Relax, Rangiku – Like I'm gonna tell Sensei that you and I went around and poked fun at the working Shinigami before splitting to go shopping in Rukongai. This was the most fun I've had since I got here, and hell if I'm gonna ruin the day by telling him that I didn't learn much, just so that he can show me himself," she waved a hand and shrugged, "I can learn as I go – how hard could it be? And besides, I'll have someone to help be out, a Fuku-Taichio and some Seats ahead of me that can fix my mistakes, right?"

"Right."

"Okay," she grinned and cracked her knuckles, "So, where is this party? I wanna celebrate all my hard work, dammit! Let's go!"

We arrived minutes later, and I enjoyed watching her grin as she greeted all of the Fuku-Taichio's and Taichio's who bothered to come and welcome her to the Gotei Thirteen. Though, I couldn't help but wonder if it was her reputation that brought them running.

I had to admit, she was an abnormality.

Her reiatsu was already as high as mine, A Fuku-Taichio, and was steadily growing and changing shape, though it didn't seem to be ravenously flowing out of her like most people who didn't know how to control that strong of a power.

I didn't doubt that she would be a Fuku-Taichio very soon. In fact, I hoped for it.

"Hey, Rangiku! I hear from this guy you like to drink! Well, how about we have a contest; see who can hold their own! Winner can make the loser do anything they want!"

Her words invoked a number of competitors, which included Hisagi, Kira, Shunsui, and some lower seated Shinigami. I, of course, joined instantly.

I passed out after the thirtieth shot, while she was still sober enough to laugh and tell jokes without slurring her words.

Yes, she and I were definitely going to get along very well.


	7. Arc 1 Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven is here!**

**So, looks like things are heating up in the world of The Shinigami's Blade, and we should be moving along fairly quickly. I spent a while, trying to decide if I should post this chapter yet...my biggest problem as a writer is that after I post something, I read through it again and then get struck by inspiration and I HAVE to to take it down and again and change things. So - just an FYI, I tend to do that every once in a while, so if you see chapters disappearing and then being reposted every once in a while, don't freak out, okay?**

**So – how did everyone like that ending of the last chapter? Yeah – a little bit of a cliff-hanger, but it should have been reasonable, right? I mean, there is worse yet to come, so if that bothered you, then…good luck is all I'm saying. **

**I still don't own Bleach. If I did…well…Rukia would be a lot more kick ass. Just like she's going to be in this story. My tale wasn't originally called Kuchiki Rukia for nothing, you know. **

_**How does one continue to live after their reason for living is gone?  
How can I, the only person who knew you existed, plan to keep on existing?  
Though you walked into my life without a care of a word, I knew you would be there forever…  
I was right…though you are gone, you still remain…  
Your voice – your eyes – your skin  
You are always with me**_

_**Begin Chapter Seven:**_

* * *

"So…you're saying that Rien's name is really RienSaku and she's the spirit of my Zanpaktuô? And I accidentally summoned her sealed form using that nameless Zanpaktuô? Then I somehow transferred her sprit into that blade...and now I have to fight with this?"

I lifted up the folded fan and inspected it in the light; the ebony wood cradled the soft paper-like material gently folded inside.

"It's quite interesting," Sensei said as he leaned back into his chair, "You're sealed state isn't an ordinary blade like any other Shinigami," He gestured to his own sealed sword, "It's a fan. I wonder what that means…"

"It doesn't mean anything," Rangiku said from her station, lazing on the couch, "It's just her Zanpaktuô, Taichio – what I'm curious about is what her released state looks like. Do you think it'll be a blade?"

I snorted, "Obviously. If it wasn't then Rien would be a lousy weapon. I'd go in search of a new one."

"Well," Sensei sighed, looking over some more papers, "We won't know until you release it, now will we?"

"I guess not," Rangiku pouted, sitting up to look at me, "But, please Seleena – the moment you release, call me up okay? I wanna see that thing in action."

"_**That thing?"**_ Rien scoffed, _**"What the hell? You should call her up – and attack her, just so I can kick her ass."**_

I groaned, and when Sensei gave me a questioning look, I sighed, "Rien is a very…moody Zanpaktuô. And very violent."

For some reason, this brought a smirk to his lips, "How fitting," he murmured.

I was about to question him on it, when Rangiku suddenly ruined my contentment with an innocent observation.

"Hey – it's nine O'clock, don't you still have to meet with the rest of the unseated recruits and be drafted into a Company?"

"Shit!"

It seemed like I was always running to my meetings, whether I was late for them or not. Man, could I ever get a break?

"Oi! Seleena! You owe me a fight!"

I yelped and ducked my head, running as fast as I could, trying to lose Nigel I the crowded streets. You'd think that after I got drafted, he'd find some other Shinigami to pick fights with, but no – he still insisted on fighting me.

"Now is not the time! I have to hurry up and get there before they start!"

I could just imagine how embarrassing it would be to walk in after half of them had already been placed, and the best spots were usually given to those that had the best test scores and showed up on freakin' time!

"Please, please don't let me be late!" I begged to whatever great force ruled over this world, pleading for my life, offering to trade my very soul if it would bother granting my request.

Finally, the top of the new recruit barracks appeared, and I pushed myself even faster, managing to break into the room before the last recruit took his place in the line up. There were fourteen new recruits from the honours class, out of the forty that had taken the exam. Not only was I the only fourth year to have been drafted, but I was one of three females who had made it, though I had never bothered to speak with them. I didn't know why…I just didn't feel the need.

'_Oi, Rien,'_ I called out as I settled into the back row, steadying my breaths,_ 'You've been real quiet lately, what's up?'_

"_**Don't worry, Seleena. It's natural. I have my home now – the weapon at your side; I no longer reside completely within you, but in a world that exists between us. It's harder for me to speak to you like this, without materializing in your world. Relax, you're doing great. I will always be with you."**_

Scoffing to myself, I stood up straighter when I felt eyes on me –

'_How sappy, Rien. I think it's a good thing that I can't hear you as often. I'd puke.'_

I returned my attention to the faces of the officer's that were over-seeing the introduction. Briefly, I thought about the situation – finally, I was going to become a member of the Gotei Thirteen, and I wondered what Company I would be drafted into. For all I cared, they could stick me in any, even the Fourth, as long as I got to become a seated member, at least fifth, I would be pleased.

"I hear she released it-"

"Before the final exam-"

"Wonder how long she-"

My ears tuned into the small whispers that were being said around me –about me. Just another group of people, my peers, wondering about all the weird things that seemed to happen around me. In my heart, I had never really cared about it – but, even after all these years, the whispers, the gossip…I thought that maybe they would find something else to talk about.

"Is it true?"

In front of me, a boy who had been in the year ahead of me, that I had exchanged a few words with here and there turned to look at me, his face curious, but not afraid.

"Did you really summon your Zanpaktuô at the Class C exam for_ years?"

Blinking, I tipped my head, trying to think of a way of explaining in only a few words, when my ears twitched to something behind me.

"…Lame fan, what the hell kind of-"

"- How did she get here with that?"

"…Couldn't take care of a tiny hollow with that."

My head whipped around faster than I could process who was speaking. My sudden movement shocked the others in the line beside me, but the officer still went on, talking about the Company and how it was founded. Their eyes met mine – a group of Shinigami, hidden behind one of the screen doors at the left corner of the room. They knew I knew, and still those grins didn't leave their faces…that they were pleased with bothering me didn't necessarily bother me, but one of them…there was no humor on his face…only disgust.

"Excuse me? Return to your place…"

I ignored the order of the officer, and strode to the back screen, ripping it off the slider; exposing the Shinigami who stood watching.

"Did you have something to say to me?" I asked, keeping my eyes even and cold. I channelled Sensei, and made a look that made the atmosphere a few degrees cooler.

Two of the three were smart; they shook their heads and averted their gazes, stepping backwards, but one of them – the one whose face held disgust and contempt, refused to stand down. He stepped forward, towering above me – his dark hair and dark eyes told me that he was the standard alpha male, used to pushing people around to get his way.

My insides glowed – my temper sparking to life as he looked at me that way; like I was inferior to him.

"I was just saying that you don't belong here," He said replied in a soft whisper, and immediately, I knew he was a coward. Scared of being heard…scared of being punished for saying such things…

"Because I am weak? Yes? Because I don't have a _real_ Zanpaktuô?" My hand hovered above my fan – twitching to grasp it. "I'll show you, just how weak I am, boy. Unless, you're too afraid to fight me?"

His jaw clenched, and I saw a moment's hesitation behind his eyes - I thought he was going to back down and leave, but instead he seemed to experience another moment of stupidity, and drew is Zanpaktuô.

I was surprised, but didn't show it.

"You're the one who's too afraid…I see that. All talk and no action, what a surprise. Probably because of that thing," he gestured to Rien, "How could you fight me without a blade?" A sharp laugh, "You would lose."

My fingers closed around Rien, drawing her from my sash, "I apologize," I called out to the officer who looked on with shock, "This boy says I don't belong here; that I am not strong enough to be a Shinigami." I turned back to the idiot, "I need to prove him wrong."

"Wrong?" He laughed, "We'll see – I hope I get promoted for taking out the trash of Seiretei." And he lunged forward, brining his Zanpaktuô down millimetres in front of me.

Momentarily, I visualized my Sensei – telling me how much of an idiot I was, and I hoped that this wouldn't get me kicked out. Then I thought about the stories that I had heard about Taichio's getting into fights with one another, and I perked.

In this world, honour was everything. So, I whipped open Rien and did my best to use her to block his hits.

'_Dammit, I hadn't really thought about how the hell I was going to win this without an blade…I hadn't even thought he would fight me,'_ I sprinted out of the room after one of our hits almost took out another recruit. If someone else got hurt, well, that wouldn't be the greatest thing.

"Stop running, coward, and face me!"

'_You bastard!'_

"Fine!" I leapt backward and caught him in the face with my fist, sending him toppling off of his feet, "You want to be beaten all to hell? Keep coming after me you-"

"Oi, what the hell is going on?"

The shout came from behind me – a booming, sharp voice that seemed to pierce the very moment. I turned, and the first thing I saw was red. Then, I saw the Fuku-Taichio badge of Sixth Company.

And then I stared at the hair again. That was quite the hair colour…I had never seen such an outrageous colour on a man – and it seemed to come to a point…like…like…

Like the top of a pineapple.

"Abarai Fuku-Taichio!" The bastard addressed the pineapple headed man from the ground, his eyes wide with horror.

Ah. Abarai…Renji Abarai – of the Sixth Company. I'd heard of him…well, Sensei had told me about him…apparently he was a buffoon who spent too much time griping over the past. Whatever the hell that meant.

"What are you doing?" He demanded, and I could have sworn his eyes passed over me, like I was the threat.

Then again…I was standing over the other bastard, while he was…What the hell? I looked back, and the tough-guy bastard who'd drawn me out to this stupid fight was shaking and looking like he was about to be mauled by a wild animal. Coward.

"You bastard," I seethed, restraining myself from decking him again. No doubt he would deserve it.

"She's attacking me, sir!"

"Like hell!" I spun and gave the pineapple – Abarai Fuku-Taichio - an exasperated look, "This guy called me out – he insulted me, insulted my blade-"

"I didn't do anything like that, she's lying! She attacked me for no reason!"

I growled and turned – bringing down Rien to knock him upside the head, successfully knocking him out.

"Filthy liar…I didn't-"

"Recruit!"

Sighing very slowly, I turned back to Abarai Fuku-Taichio.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He glared at me – like I was some fucking criminal.

"I was-"

"She was protecting her honour, Abarai."

What this interrupt Seleena while she speaks day or something? Where were all these guys coming from? The person who came this time was another man…a broad-shouldered, dark haired, sunglass wearing man that I didn't recognise from memory.

Sensei hadn't spoken of this one…they must not have been close.

"Tetsuzaemon?" Abarai Fuku-Taichio addressed him familiarly – he must have been a Fuku-Taichio himself, with that spiritual energy, there was no doubt about it. Briefly, I wondered what Company he belonged to.

"Yes, Abarai – and you need not worry yourself on this matter. She was insulted – her honour impeded upon. She had no choice." Abarai Fuku–Taichio gazed at me – looking me up and down, trying to decide if I was a threat, no doubt.

"It's true, Abarai Fuku-Taichio." I said, placing Rien back at my waist, "Perhaps I should not have reacted in the way that I did but…the bastard was mighty insistent."

"You bitch!" Behind me – for the third time today – an angry voice seethed, and I was warned of his attack a mere millisecond before his blade would have struck me.

"Oi…I thought I knocked you out, boy." He was really starting to annoy me. He came at me with a fury of swipes, two of the ten almost nicking me. Maybe I had just woken up on the wrong side of the bed today – maybe it was just the strength of the sun beating down on my neck – hell, it could have been indigestion from what I had eaten for breakfast, but I had had enough. I fucking snapped. '_Rien…if I ever wanted you to cut something…'_ I thought as I drew Rien again, _'Now would be the time!'_

_**"I will not permit you killing this fool,"**_ she replied – like she was right beside me, talking into my ear, **_"But – he does need to be taught a lesson. Call me out…come on, Seleena…you know the words…"_** To my utter and complete amazement; she was right, I did know. Where the hell that came from, I had no idea, but I wasn't complaining.

"Rise with the misty twilight! First Phase: New Moon – Awaken, RienSaku!"

The fan shifted – moulded in my hands – the wood of the fan becoming cold steel against my skin. Instead of the fan, I was now holding onto a blade. Nothing special…just a regular blade, but that was enough for me. I blocked his next attack and parried his sword out of his hand, before bringing down the butt of RienSaku onto his head – knocking him out for at least three hours this time. I contemplated the blade in my hand – RienSaku – yes, I felt her in there…her spirit, flowing out of it like a waterfall.

"New Moon, eh?" I said to myself… "Rien…you are…" I looked up to the sky, "The Empress of the Moon…aren't you?"

She laughed – tickling my ear, _**"So you're finally remembering. There is much more for us to discuss – You are destined to be great, and I am destined to lead you onward. Our power is one…I know everything about you – and someday soon, you will know everything about me – the truth about the Shinigami's blade. For now, however – you must be Seleena Yamatoe of the Gotei Thirteen – your destiny is calling you."**_

"Do you always need to be so cryptic?" I sighed, but accepted her answer. "Return, Rien."

The blade once again became a fan, which I returned to my sash.

Abarai Fuku-Taichio and the other guy were still watching me.

"Ah…" I realized they had heard me talking to myself, "My name is Yamatoe Seleena! I'm…uh…a new recruit and…well," I looked back at the recruits who were still watching from the doorway to the placement room, "I was being placed into a Company…but…something tells me that no Company's going to want me now…"

Abarai Fuku-Taichio scratched the back of his head, "There might still be one…" he eyes me warily, before his gaze went to Rien.

"I think you'd do fine in the Eleventh Company, Yamatoe Seleena. You seem to fit their style," he added dryly, now looking at the unconscious bastard at my feet. Sunglass Fuku-Taichio nodded in agreement.

My eye twitched…what the hell was that supposed to mean?

* * *

_**End Chapter Seven**_

_**Bonus:**_

* * *

"No," She replied instantly, not even taking her eyes off of her fan – her Zanpaktuô, "I don't remember any of my life before Soul Society."

"Oh," I rubbed my head in thought, "That's weird."

"Not really."

I watched her face begin to tense in concentration, as she attempted to remain connected with her Zanpaktuô and me at the same time, "I hear it's pretty common, actually. Though – it is usually in people who died when they were children."

That was true…I knew that Renji didn't remember his former life – he had died when he was very young.

I only remembered some parts myself – but only the things that really mattered. Like my mother and father…but, as the years went by, those memories were slowly fading too.

"Ne, Hinamori Fuku-Taichio-"

"Seleena, please," I laughed, "Call me Momo. We're not strangers anymore."

"Ah-" she pursued her lips, embarrassed that she had been caught doing it again, "I apologize, it's just very hard Momo – I knew about you while I was in the Academy, and I always looked up to you…especially from what Sen- from what Hitsugaya Taichio said about you."

Oh course…I wondered what Shiro-chan told her about me. Obviously nothing bad, considering that she was admitting how much she admired me, which caused me to blush. I wasn't used to being admired, and coming from someone like her, well, I was honoured.

"Ne, Momo – I heard about some rumours going around – that there was a little trouble at the gate. Ichimaru Taichio caught some Ryoka trying to break into the Seiretei. Is that true?"

I remembered Aizen Taichio speaking about something like that, but only in passing. I hadn't been paying that much attention, because Kira and Matsumoto had been very loudly complaining that the training barracks were greatly out-of-style.

Well, Kira had been complaining about that. Matsumoto had been complaining that we Shinigami should get discounts at the bar. Nobody was really listening to her, except for Hisagi - who agreed, but it wasn't shocking. He would agree with anything she said.

"Yeah, I guess so." I shrugged, "Though I don't know much about it – and besides, Ichimaru-Taichio got rid of them easily."

I watched, suddenly concerned as her eyes opened and hardened into black pebbles - the green irises disappearing as her pupils dilated.

"I hear Jindanbo was horribly injured…" She whispered it, and I barely heard her.

"Jindanbo…?" I searched my memory, "Who's that?"

Her stony eyes flashed to my face, and I saw a wave of disbelief wash over her face, before it was overcome by a sad, biting smile.

"I guess…nobody."


	8. Arc 1 Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight is up and at em'! Yahooo! Sorry it took forever, but I've also finished the Arc, which I WILL NOT BE POSTING UNTIL I GET A NICE NUMBER OF REVIEW'S!...Please.**

**So, it seems that the introduction to this tale is FINALLY (almost) over, it's taking forever, but it's just something that can't be helped! I'm hoping to get into some more interesting stuff soon, so here's to hoping that this chapter has more to offer that has to do with actual Bleach characters.**

**Yeah.****Let's bounce.**

**I don't own Bleach. Not even the kind they use on clothes.**

_**Oh, starry universe that exists above and beyond -  
Can't you hear my cries?  
Do they make it to you, through that thick atmosphere?  
If they do…if they somehow make it into your presence,  
Then do remember my name -  
For one day, I will be amongst you -  
Like the Moon that exists in that black night.**_

_**Begin Chapter Eight:**_

The Eleventh Company wasn't bad at all. The Taichio was insane, but it was the type of insanity that I could come to like – he loved battle, more than any other man – and I finally felt like I wasn't alone in my love for it. Though…I wasn't anywhere near his level of insanity. Well, not yet anyway…

Kenpachi Zaraki was indeed a most intriguing person…and it was hilarious that his Fuku-Taichio was…the way she was. She was adorable, of course. A little annoying, but I could live with that. Upon entering the Eleventh Company, I was given the place of Fourth Seat – quite the accomplishment, and I was excited to tell Sensei – though, I didn't rush off to do so.

He would hear about it soon enough. Hell, he probably already knew. The upside about being in the Eleventh division was that everybody did whatever the hell they wanted – well, the upper seats did whatever the hell they wanted. I pitied the lower seats…the crap-load of work they were given because we didn't do it made me feel for them. But, I didn't pity them enough to start doing paperwork. Shinigami were for fighting…not signing their name. Another perk was the amount of training time we had. All the Eleventh Company seemed to do was train and fight and drink.

Rien had shown me much since I had been placed – I hadn't yet been to my inner world, but I was learning more and more about Rien's abilities. The third seat – Ikkaku Madarame - was an excellent sparring partner – he wasn't afraid to push me to my limits, and we made fast companions. The fifth seat (who I was sure belonged in the fourth seat) was also very kind and useful – Yumichika Ayasegawa. But…he did act kind of…odd. But, I moved past that – he was who he was…even if it sometimes made me question his…interests…

On the fifth day since my recruitment, we had a two against one spar – which was thrilling. I almost got decapitated twice – and Ikkaku didn't mid breaking the rules and releasing his Zanpaktuô. We had quite the face off. Of course, RienSaku pulled through – showing me another technique to add to her growing list.

"First Phase – Scream, RienSaku!"

This was the second level to the first phase – in which Rien became a large halberd – taller than myself, and heavier then I was used to. It had taken me a while to be able to use her to her full extent, I could barely lift her above my knees for a while, but I made it work…eventually. After that battle ended, we had decided to take a break – drowsing in the hot afternoon sun, letting the sweat of battle evaporate. It was at this time that Ikkaku and Yumichika began to discuss the recent thing ailing the Soul Society.

"A Ryoka?" I scoffed taking a sip of my tea, which was now cold from being ignored, "Like hell; no Ryoka could make it past the barrier."

"Well," Yumichika sighed – playing around with his hair – it had gotten a little frazzled in the fight, and of course he had to fix it, "They're here, whether you can believe it or not."

"Why the hell are Ryoka trying to get into the Seiretei? There's nothing but humiliation and defeat for them."

"I dunno," Ikkaku picked his ear, not really paying attention, "But I heard it was the human Shinigami that stole the Kuchiki girl's powers."

I shiver ran down my spine and I paused in sipping. The Kuchiki girl…Kuchiki…Kuchiki…that name…

"He didn't steal them: she gave them away." Yumichika argued, pausing in arranging his hair.

Ikkaku snorted, waving his hand dismissively, "Whatever-"

"Hey!" I interrupted, "this Kuchiki girl – is she related to Kuchiki Taichio?"

"Yeah," Yumichika replied, "She's his sister – adopted sister."

My hands began to tremble, "What does she look like?"

Ikkaku and Yumichika shared a quizzical look, "Small…dark hair…" Yumichika began, looking thoughtful, "And she has really-"

"Beautiful cobalt eyes." I couldn't believe it – I could barely control myself. It was her – the Kuchiki girl! I could remember her name! Kuchiki…Kuchiki…Rukia.

"Yes!" My excitement must have startled them, but I didn't have time to explain. I leapt up, making my way to the Sixth Company offices with Shunpo. Kuchiki-Taichio would know where she was, and I'd be able to speak to her! I was amazed…barely three days into being a real Shinigami, and things were looking well.

I darted past Shinigami – some of them not noticing my moving Reiatsu, but most of them ignoring me – for some reason everyone seemed to know me by name already…people I hadn't even met…I wondered about that sometimes. Where the hell could they have heard about me from? It's not like I did a lot of noteworthy things…

Well, actually…that might be a lie…

"Hey!" A voice startled me, but I kept going. Seconds later, someone caught up to my pace, his white hair still somehow retaining its normal shape in the breeze.

"Sensei?"

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

I stopped; there was much I wanted to tell Sensei – all about my new station and the Eleventh company, but my veins were still on fire from finally finding out who she was, "To find Kuchiki Taichio – I've found her Sensei! It's Kuchiki Rukia!" the name slid off my tongue like music. I wanted to repeat it over and over again.

I expected him to say something, at the very least, congratulate me on achieving this goal, but he remained strangely quiet.

"Sensei?" I sensed his discomfort – and his eyes…what was that look?

"Kuchiki Rukia is…a traitor of Seiretei and Soul Society. She has been sentenced to eternal imprisonment." He said after a moment.

After a few moments of processing his words, I felt my muscles contract – like my body was rejecting the information. At that moment, I wished for the first time that I was dreaming – a nightmare, and I would soon wake up and-

"No." I hissed, my chest clenching harder cutting off my breaths, "That is impossible," then it dawned on me – what Ikkaku and Yumichika were saying before came back to me, "Is Kuchiki Rukia the same Shinigami who gave her powers to a human?"

Sensei nodded tersely.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He looked away – his eyes hard, "How the hell was I supposed to know?"

"But – I told you, didn't I? The girl who saved me…I knew she was in danger!" I slammed my fist against the stone wall, hard enough to break a few bones in my hand.

"Sensei – you said she's been eternally imprisoned…what did she do?" I asked, straining to remain calm. He wouldn't put up with me if I went off like a maniac, and besides. What could I do? Storm the inner sanctum of the Seiretei, march up to Sou-Taichio Yamamoto and demand he set her free?

Yeah…no fucking way.

"She… gave her Shinigami powers to a human." He still didn't look at me – which was bothersome. Why was he in such discomfort?

"And?" I asked him to continue – what wasn't he telling me? I already knew that she had done that – but that couldn't be it.

He brought his frosty gaze to meet mine. He was angry…

"That's all she did."

My eyebrows furrowed. Granted, I didn't know much about the judicial and punishment systems of the Soul Society – but, I knew that giving away ones shinigami powers did not deserve eternal imprisonment. That was reserved for traitors to the Soul Society – those who wished, and had the ability to do us great harm.

Why the hell was Kuchiki Rukia thrown in with that lot? She had saved my life – no traitor could do that. I was obviously missing information.

"Sensei…that couldn't have been all she did. You said she was a traitor…on what grounds do you make that accusation?"

"On the grounds that that is what Command Central decided – she is a traitor, and for whatever reason, and she will remain imprisoned forever."

Imprisoned forever? No…Kuchiki Rukia would not be imprisoned…if I ever existed for something, it was for this moment. I was going to free Kuchiki Rukia…but first I had to figure out how I was going to accomplish this, which meant that I had to bide my time. For now. At least until I managed to put everything together, and find out what the hell was wrong with this place. How long would it take me? Oh well, I decided that it didn't matter – if Kuchiki Rukia had all the time in the world, then I did too.

"Hai…Sensei…at least I know she's real now…" I forced a grim smile, "That's good enough for me."

"Ohiyo, Kyōraku Taichio." I greeted the Taichio before he realized I was there, causing him to jump slightly.

"Ah, Seleena. You're Shunpo must be improving, I barely felt you arrive." He smiled, and I relaxed a tiny bit. Shunsui Taichio was always so welcoming.

"Oh, Taichio – don't kid around." I replied quietly, "But – there's something I wanted to ask you about…if you have the time."

Blinking, he nodded, and gestured to the seat on the opposite side of his desk. I sat down carefully, not quite sure about how I should go about putting my plan into action…oh well, directly to the point hadn't failed me before, so…

"You know Kuchiki Rukia, right?"  
He looked slightly surprised, but then he seemed to understand, and gave me a grim look, "Yes – not personally, however – I knew of her and saw her. She was a member of the Thirteenth Company."

Thirteenth? That meant Ukitake must have known her well…I would have to speak to him too.

"Hmm. And…what was she like?"

His eyebrow's crinkled, before he responded, "Quiet girl. Small – but determined. Some people thought of her as weak and sad, but sometimes…sometimes I could see that flash in her eyes – on the rare times I saw her, she always seemed to carry this…this…" He paused, and scratched his chin.

"This feeling – like she was full of…something…"

He was searching for a way to explain it – and I was suddenly brought back to that night – almost five years ago today – the day that I still saw in my dreams…in those dim flashbacks that seemed to take over the night. It was her eyes that I always remembered – and I understood how he had trouble placing that look that seemed to dwell idly in those eyes.

"I understand." I smiled, "But…" I looked back to the door – not sensing any other presences anywhere close to hearing distance, "Do you really think that she deserved it?"

The immediate silence reaffirmed that I was talking about something taboo – something that might label me as a traitor myself. Undermining the decision of Central 46 was a dangerous job, but sadly, not the most dangerous part of my plan.

"That's…" Kyōraku Taichio sighed, "That's not for me to say."

Dammit! Was everyone in the Soul Society like this? Too scared to say their own opinions?

"But Taichio!" I seethed, my pent-up frustration seeping out, "She gave away her powers to a human, it's not like she destroyed the Soul Society!"  
I stood up, not bothering to care about what I was doing or saying – I needed to get it out.

"And those Ryoka!" I hissed "They're here to save her – they wouldn't be here if she hadn't of been imprisoned! Do you see that, Taicho? Those Ryoka are here to save her, aren't they?"

"Seleena."

I froze. What the hell was wrong with me? What was I doing? I was blowing it! Kyōraku Taichio was an understanding man, but he was loyal and extremely close to the Sou-Taichio. I was treading dangerous water.

"I'm…I'm sorry Taichio." I made my voice as small and remorseful as I could, adding some alarm to my face. "I-I'm just not use to this. Things seem so…harsh…"

I knew immediately that I had his sympathy, because he sighed deeply – and then there was something else. An understanding look in his eyes. Did he…could it be…that he thought I was right?

"Seleena…it will be hard to adjust. Life here is…it has to be strict. The rules are there for a reason."

"I think I understand." Of course I understood – I was all for it! But that Kuchiki Rukia…

"AH!" I gasped, lurching forward; my hands went to both my gut and my head. I felt like I was going to puke and have my head explode at the same time.  
It brought my back to a night – long ago – in Rukongai, before I even thought about becoming Shinigami. I was seeing something in my head again – just like that time…when I first felt something was wrong in the Soul Society. I saw indigo eyes…Kuchiki Rukia…closing her eyes as a red fire bird swooped down upon her, dealing death immediately. But, then it changed, and it was how it was now – I saw her sitting alone – day after day in a white cell.  
Outside her window, the Soul Society was ablaze – the red bird of fire coming down across the land. Slowly, my vision returned – and I remembered that feeling that I had forgotten – the feeling that something was wrong in the Soul Society, and I resolved myself.

Kuchiki Rukia would be freed from imprisonment and I would be the one to do it, or else all Soul Society would be set aflame in a fire of betrayal and hate...  
My eyes lost all purpose, and once more I was dragged into a misty realm - but, now the mist was changing...behind it, I could see a glowing light, reaching high into the sky. This wasn't the Soul Society...but I knew that behind this veil, there was a burning city - much like how the Seiretei was going to look if I couldn't do anything. Perhaps, Kuchiki Rukia did not have all the time in the world...because her world was soon going to be destroyed. These stupid visions...they didn't tell me how to do anything - if only they could show me what I had to do!

Damn.

Damn it all.

I staggered out of Kyōraku Taichio's office, watching helplessly as a world burned to ashes, tears starting to stream silently down my face.

_**End Chapter Eight:**_

_**Bonus:**_

"So, when did you hear it?" I questioned the unseated officers that had shown up after Hinamori had screamed. They all seemed to be pretty shaken; terrified that the Ryoka had managed to infiltrate their inner most society and murder a Taichio. I, however, refused to believe that the Ryoka could have accomplished that. Aizen Taichio was too strong to be taken by them. However, all the witnesses seemed to be unable to give us any information that we didn't already have.

Somehow, nobody had seen anything.

"What happened?"

I turned, and saw fourth seat Yamatoe Seleena round the corner, her eyes wide and her face pale. Her eyes widened even more when she looked up and saw what we had all come to see.

"Sensei!" She ran up to Hitsugaya Taichio and surveyed the damage – tilting her head in that strange way of hers, "What the hell happened?" She was staring at Aizen Taichio – her eyes going hazy and then focusing again.

Then, she turned, looking at each one of us, "Who did this?"

None of us moved to answer, but I couldn't stand her thinking any of us were suspicious, so I spoke. "We don't know, but we're thinking it may have been the Ryoka."

She looked at me – and I suddenly understood what people said about her – her eyes and her face. She was incredibly open with her emotions.  
"You don't really know, then?" Then, in some sort of perceptive burst, she turned to Hitsugaya Taichio again, and asked in a horrified voice, "Did…did Momo…please tell me she didn't…"

By our silence, she guessed it – her face went white, her hands balled into fists.

"Seleena – I don't think you did this, like I said it was most likely the Ryoka, but where-"

"I understand, Taichio. I was with Kyōraku Taichio. He can vouch for me. We were talking about…about…well, we were talking about her."

I didn't understand the context, but Toshiro seemed to understand – he gave her a stern look, and then turned to me.

"Hisagi – can you finish with the rest of the witnesses. I should go make sure Hinamori and Kira are in their cells, and cooperating." He grimaced slightly, and I understood what he was feeling. What had happened here between them had been terrifying.

Without another word, he Shunpo'd away - leaving Seleena behind with me, staring at the ground with a vacant expression. I couldn't tell what she was thinking - or if she was just sad or scared...or maybe she was just worried.

"A Taichio meeting will be called tomorrow, Seleena. We will find out who is responsible." I attempted to comfort her - without seeming like I was trying to. I turned, addressing the rest of the witnesses to return to the Company for further questioning. Really, I was just tired of dealing with them. The others in my Company could take care of them. I wanted to get working on things that mattered...and not spending time with half-scared-to-death unseated officers.

"It wasn't the Ryoka, Taichio. What could they gain from this? They're here to save Kuchiki Rukia…not kill the Taichio of the Soul Society." Her voice was quiet, but it carried far enough for me to hear perfectly. I turned her to her, but she wasn't looking at me. She was staring mournfully in the distance...towards the Repentance Cell which housed a traitor. Shoulders hunched, Seleena then turned to look where Hitsugaya-Taichio had disappeared, her voice colored with a sorrow that I couldn't understand.

"Please…Sensei…don't condemn more innocent people."

_**Super Bonus - Unlocked Stages of RienSaku:**_

**Phase One: New Moon (Not deadly, but harmful)**

-**Awaken** (Simple blade, used for regular combat, no special ability-creates the illusion of Seleena having a regular sword. No abilities for this one.)

-**Scream** (Huge black sword, with fuzzy silver stuff on the hilt – Imagine Inuyasha's blade…kind of like that, it's ability is simply the sheer size of it – it reflects the amount of spiritual energy Seleena has. On top of that - it can release a large flash of Reiatsu, which, when released, sounds like a long, drawn out scream. The sound is dangerous to the likes of Hollows.

**Phase Two:**

**Phase Three:**

**Last Phase:**


	9. Arc 1 Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine is finally up, sorry for not updating in FOREVER, I know. I must have made a bunch of you feel hopeless and angry and upset, but never fear! For I am always here, and today I am here with a new chapter to add to my beloved tale! And I hope that this one will rock your faces off! Well…okay, maybe I don't hope that, considering if you had no faces, you wouldn't be able to keep reading soo…**

**I hope this rocks your socks off. You don't need socks to read fanfiction, do you? Meh…whatever – socks or no socks, face or no face, this chapter will rock something of yours.**

**Ah, and in case you haven't already noticed- this tale does have A LOT of intense swearing in it...hopefully it does't bother you too much. **

**Anywho, I don't own Bleach, not even the stuff that makes blue shirts pink.**

**_We are a grist – a wheel – a cog – _**  
**_The part that keeps these worlds turning - _**  
**_A shadow moving within the light._**  
**_For this world, we breathe – we fight – we die._**  
**_But not me._**  
**_I die for you._**

**_Begin Chapter Nine:_**

* * *

When I woke up that morning, I remembered almost nothing of my dream, except for the deep pangs that echoed – the ones that scared me more than anything ever had – more than the first hollow I fought and almost died trying to kill, more than the examinations that I had to go through – more than anything. I knew what I had to try and do.

I had to stop the Soul Society from turning into that burning city that haunted my head.

My heart raced as I went throughout the day, trying to think of a way to set things in motion…if I was going to save this place, I needed to speak to Kuchiki Rukia, and then I needed to free her. Of course, I would need the help of the Ryoka – my head pounded again, the images of the orange haired Substitute Shinigami burned into my skull – like a confirmation from the gods that he was the one I needed to do this.

_'Yes, yes fine'_ I rubbed my forehead,_ 'I understand, stop with the painful flashes please!'_

I wondered around, waiting for an idea to come to me. Everything seemed to be moving either too fast, or in slow motion for me – which was infuriating. I wanted to do something – and do it now, before my head exploded. My mind wasn't going to stop buzzing anytime soon – so I decided to take the long way around the Seiretei. Halfway into the 7th district, I found a small crack in the wall – and after a few milliseconds of consideration, I blew the crack big enough to fit myself though it.

I felt no remorse – no shame for breaking the rules. It would have been quite ironic if I had, considering what I was trying to accomplish. I needed something else to look at besides the pristine white and narrow paths of the Seiretei. It wasn't long before I was walking down the streets of Rukongai – the scenery; the people; the Rukongai hadn't changed since I had been here, but I had. I was a Shinigami now – looked on with either stares of awe, glares of hate or barely looked at at all.

I knew that some of the lower ranking Shinigami had done some horrible things to the souls here – they had ruined the good Shinigami name – something that I thought was unforgivable.

These people needed to trust us – they needed to know that we were here to protect them. It really sucked that none of them remembered their human lives – or their deaths, and how a Shinigami had come to save them and prevent them from becoming Hollows. If they remembered that, at least, maybe things would be different.

But – it wasn't their fault. It was our fault. My fault.

God, I really hated myself today.

First, I couldn't think of a way to save Rukia – then I realize I've been ignoring these poor people; people who I once was a part of. Damn. When all this crap blew over, I was going to make some changes.

Ah – my gloom lifted slightly when I saw it – the perfect place to sit around and just think for a while. It was a nice, high cliff, from the top of which I could see across miles of miles of the Soul Society. Funny – I hadn't thought it was that big, but then again, thousands of people did die every day…there had to be room to fit em' all. It was still early, I supposed, not realizing that until I noticed the sun was barely an inch over the horizon. Such an early wake-up…so much to do…

I sighed and lied back – staring at the sky. And then I screamed. Loud – so loud it echoed for a few minutes after I was done, but I felt better.

"Damn, bloody, fucking, son of a bitch!"

Swearing made things better too. All of the pent-up frustration I was feeling started to lessen – I screamed for a while more, relishing in the sweet soothing feeling I was starting to get.

**_"Shut the fuck up."_**

Uh oh. The soothing feeling dropped into my stomach. Rien was vicious – I could feel her and she was very pissed off. The fan at my hip was shaking – trembling with the amount of anger she was feeling.

**_"I don't automatically wake up when you do – I shouldn't have to – it's early, fucking early – don't ever, ever, wake me up like that again."_**

Ouch…clearly not a morning person. I would have snorted and made a sarcastic come back but…I was terrified. Not knowing what to do, or say – scared to death that she might flip out at me again, I sat down and stared at the scenery before me.

Wow, it really was breathtaking.

I don't think I ever just sat back and looked at the scenery before in my life – I probably never did it when I was alive, either. I wasn't a very artistic or compassionate person – nature just never caught my eye, but here, when there was nothing else to look at, it was hard not to notice. It was...soothing...and beautiful beyond what any person could create...it was lovely and warming and...

It was burning.

The double-vision came again, and everything was alit was fire – and I understood the meaning of this image. Nothing would survive what was coming, unless I did something. Fate was cruel to me…just as I found myself happy and comfortable, I had to do something like this and throw it all away. Whatever I did while I was alive must have sucked, because Karma was coming to get me.

_**"That's not it," **_Rien was calmed down – she…she almost seemed sad now, like she was an equal partner in my pain. Ah…pain. I realized for the first time that my insides hurt. That my soul felt like it was falling apart. _**"Karma isn't out to get you,**_" Rien sighed, _**"Did you ever think that maybe, this is what you were born to do? That – saving Kuchiki Rukia and the Soul Society is your destiny– not just fate picking on you?"**_

She had a point, I realized, maybe this was who I was.

Yamatoe Seleena – the girl who saved Kuchiki Rukia.

Yamatoe Seleena – the girl who saved the Soul Society.

It was vain – it was selfish, but it helped. I had known it in my heart before – I had felt it once or twice, but now it really hit me with full force. What if this was my mission? What if I was here for a real reason, and not just because I was passing through?

If that were true – if what Rien implied was really why I even existed, then, that meant that if I didn't succeed – if I didn't even try – there would be no one else who could do it.

* * *

Upon re-entering the Seiretei, I found out that there had been a Taichio's meeting called – probably having to do with discussing the fates of the Ryoka who were hiding somewhere among us. That called my focus to attention – I couldn't let them kill the Ryoka, what kind of answer was that? It wasn't like the Ryoka had killed anybody. I tried not to think about what I was doing –a habit of mine when I was faced with doing something I would really, really, really rather not do. But, did I have a choice? No. Fate had decided my destiny, and I was getting tired of my head exploding into images and sounds every few seconds.

Something had to be done, and fast – before Sou-Taichio could decide to do something that could be detrimental to all of us in the Soul Society, and perhaps even in the Living World.

Yes…I knew I had to do something, but…did it really have to be this?

"Seleena Yamatoe – recruited to the Eleventh Company seven days ago – what is the meaning of this intrusion? It is forbidden to interrupt a meeting between Taichio in a crisis situation."

All eyes were on me – boring holes into my face; I could practically feel their questioning glances, and some of the annoyed glares that came by way. Sou-Taichio's face was even more terrifying, but I pushed past it.

"I understand, Sou-Taicho." I stepped forward and bowed, keeping my head low, "But this cannot wait. I must beseech you, Sou-Taichio – you are about to make a grave mistake." I looked up, meeting his small, cold eyes, "One that will result in the compete destruction of the Soul Society."

There was silence; and I could hear the cogs in their heads turning. In that moment, I thought to myself, 'Seleena, what the hell are you doing? You'll die for this!'

But, then my head pounded and the sequence of images that had haunted me and pushed me to this act returned, and I was speaking before I knew what I was saying.

"If you keep Rukia Kuchiki locked up in that cell, our world will end. If you kill that boy – the Ryoka – or any of his comrades, our world will end. Sou-Taichio – I am here to plead for the freedom of Kuchiki Rukia and the safety of the Ryoka."

He barely twitched, and his voice rang out with burning anger, "On what ground do you dare make that assumption and plea?"

Standing, I braced myself, and stepped forward, entering the circumference of the Sou-Taichio's reiatsu.

"On the grounds that…I've seen it. Sou-Taichio…I posses an ability…the ability to see things that other people cannot see. I see that there is something wrong here – the design of this world has been twisted." My stomach flipped and churned as I spoke – and I got that feeling again – stronger than ever before. "I see futures – and people. I see inside people…and their past and futures…and Sou-Taichio," I bowed again, "If you keep Kuchiki Rukia locked away…there will be no more future."

He was silent for maybe three seconds, before a jagged wave of reiatsu hit me – knocking the wind outta me. I didn't fall flat on my face however – but on the inside, I was shaking.

"Yamatoe Seleena – you have breached your limits as a mere fourth seat. You will return to your post now, or suffer the consequences."

Consequences? I wanted to laugh. If I were scared of consequences, I wouldn't have come to the Soul Society all those years ago. I almost took it, though. I almost just put my hands up in defeat and walked away, but then – God-dammit, then I remembered her face. Those soft, indigo eyes…how could I not repay her for what she did? Because of her, I was here, and not food for some hollow – because of her, I had powers that I had never even dreamed I could have.

No – for Kuchiki Rukia, I would stay and plead, even fight.

I owed her a large debt.

"I cannot, Sou-Taichio. I'm sorry, but if you don't answer my plea, then I'll find a way to get her out – I'll fight alongside the Ryoka if I have to!"

Oh.

I froze.

Not the best thing to announce at this moment…

"Idiot."

"To the Cells, Yamatoe Seleena. It seems that you need to think about where your loyalties lie. Kuchiki Rukia is a traitor – and it seems you're following in her footsteps. The Ryoka will be exterminated, and peace will return to the Soul Society again. Take her away!" He waved his hand, dismissing me.

"No! You will regret this!" I wanted to scream, but all I could summon was a fierce growl, "What did she do wrong? What?" I fought against the Shinigami who yanked on my shoulders, "She gave her powers to Kurosaki Ichigo to save him and his family! Is that not the Shinigami's duty? To save humans and vanquish hollow's at all costs?"

But, I could tell that Sou-Taichio had made up his mind – his eyes had only flickered once – most likely because I had been calm for most of my plea, and then started randomly yelling…damn it. I might have had him.

"Yamatoe Seleena." He spoke in a stern, crushing voice that seemed to flow with his reiatsu. I felt it pushing against my bones, but it wasn't enough to send me to my knees.

I did shake, however, at the brutal force of it. I couldn't believe that such a violent, flowing reiatsu could belong to such an old man…but, I supposed that with age came better knowledge and understanding - as well as deeper control.

"The rulings of the Central Room are non-negotiable. To go against their word is to go against the Soul Society and attain a label of treason."

Wow. How had I seen those words coming?

"But Sou-Taichio!"

"For your actions, it seems that you have come into contact with the Ryoka, and are aiding them in their foolish quest, I have no choice but to label you as a traitor to the Soul Society, Yamatoe Seleena."

As he spoke, Shinigami from the special command forces appeared, and moved to take me away. I was too shocked to stop them – my heart leaping into my chest. What the hell could he be thinking?

"Sou-Taichio! Please! This is a misunderstanding! Let me explain, please I-"

Out of pure instinct, my eyes had flickered to sensei – seeking help and guidance for this horrible situation – but the look on his face had me floored.

Disappointment – disgust – astonishment – more disgust –

What had I done? My callousness had me now labelled as a traitor – I had acted on foolish impulse and damned emotion, when I should have used my head and bided my time. Dammit.

But – there was no more time.

As they dragged me away – I didn't fight it, I couldn't. My mind was reeling once more; I had failed, and those images were relentless now, consuming my mind with the knowledge that because of my stupidity, everyone was doomed.

Damn.

* * *

**_End Chapter Nine_**

**_Bonus:_**

* * *

"How did you know his name?" I had my eyes narrowed on her, and she tilted her head, confused.

"Whose name?"

"The Ryoka's. How did you know his name was Kurosaki Ichigo?" I tried not to yell – she seemed to be in sort of a daze – her eyes focusing and un-focusing as she spoke.

"Oh." She narrowed her eyes, probably remembering the entire incident, "I…like I said, I know things…see things, and that boy's name…it's all over the Soul Society."

Yes, that orange-haired bastard was really making his way through our forces at an amazing speed. Seleena suddenly leaned forward, staring into my eyes.  
"He's in you too," she sighed, "like it or not, Renji, that boy is a part of your future now too."

My future? I looked more closely at her – as close as I could get through the bars of her cell. At the moment, she didn't look good – she looked more like a lunatic than a girl who was trying to save the Soul Society.

"He'll come for you, Renji – you'll meet him, and then be struck down, before rising up again."

"What the hell? What does that mean?"

But she was lost again – her eyes glazed over. I watched her for a few more minutes, not really waiting to speak to her again, but more in a stupor – watching her eyes dart and widen – as if she really was seeing something like my future.

No, I shook my head – she was just crazy. A delusional traitor who was seeing things that couldn't possibly ever happen – the Ryoka would come for me?  
Struck down before rising up again? All of it was senseless babble. I told the guard I was ready to go – shuddering eerily as I walked passed more of the cells of the First Company. There wasn't many who –

"Renji!"

Her echoing voice called after me – like she had just realized she had forgotten to say something. I debated just leaving – after all, she was a nut-case, but – I was too curious for my own liking.

"What?" I sneered, leering back into her holding cell.

She was off the bed now – her small hands griping the bars tightly. Her eyes were alive again – sparkling with mirth.

"You…" She began slowly, seeming almost shy, "You know Kuchiki Rukia."

It wasn't a question – I nodded my head, eyebrows raised, where was she going with this?

"She didn't betray anybody, Renji. She should be freed – alive and well and fighting. Renji, there is something dark coming – some evil plan that I can't yet figure out…" her eyes went downcast; I realized she was ashamed, "You need to get her out of that cell, Renji."

"Okay – I've had enough of this. You're obsessed – and crazy. I'm not a traitor like you." I rolled my eyes – but on the inside I wasn't so cocky. There was something tugging in my heart – in my gut – telling me that she was right – that Rukia didn't deserve to be locked away.

She must have seen something change in my face, because she smiled softly.

"It wasn't his fault, either."

Who? It took me a moment to grasp what she might be telling me – I opened my mouth to yell at her – this had been a touchy subject for me the past few weeks, but she continued in a small, impossible to interrupt voice.

"He didn't do anything wrong – he's here to save her. Help him, Renji, and Rukia will be okay – everything will be okay. Join with the Ryoka." The last part of her speech was hushed – and for good reason.

She was telling me to go against everything I knew- everything I upheld.

And…I was considering it.

"You are a traitor." I shook my head in disgust, and she flinched, "And you will die a traitor – they'll execute you for this."

"I know."

Unable to control myself anymore, I growled and left, pounding my fist into the outside wall. Another one of my friends was locked away. My mind drifted to Rukia – when she had been imprisoned, I had secretly believed that she was innocent. Now, with someone like Seleena telling me that that was true, I felt that inner justice brewing in my gut.

My head told me that she was crazy…but my heart…

Fuck.

This was all that stupid Ryoka's fault; first Rukia and now Seleena? I didn't care what she said – he had everything to do with it, and he would pay.


	10. Arc 1 Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten!**

**Yeeeehaaawww! There must be a rodeo in town, 'cause I'm feeling rowdy and ready to write!**

**That, and there was a thing on the news about the local bars being filled with cowboys…but, that's beside the point. I hope.**

**This is the end of the first Arc, so be ready for a long one – lots of awesome stuff is going to happen, and Yamatoe Seleena might finally come into contact with those elusive Ryoka. However – at the moment, she's trapped in a cell. But…she is Seleena, I'm sure she'll think of something. The beginning of the next Arc will take a while to get up – I want to finish a few chapters of it before I post, so that I don't decide to go back and change something after finally getting it up there.**

**BTW, this is going to be a freaking long chapter, unless I get rid of some stuff, which I might - you never know.**

**I do not own Bleach. I do however, own a bright yellow pair of knee socks :D Don't worry; they didn't use to be white.**

**_Pull the curtain – end our call_**  
**_We've no more strength to act these roles._**  
**_Those roses that were thrown to us - _**  
**_Those cakes that were gifted to us - _**  
**_Are now all but ash in our mouths. _**  
**_We are not your actors – your dolls – your play things. _**  
**_Beware the moonless nights – that darkness might be your end._**

**_Begin Chapter Ten:_**

* * *

"Well, what do I do now?" I wondered aloud – being confined to this cell meant one good thing: there was never anyone around to hear me talking to myself, which these days I seemed to do frequently.

Okay, I didn't really talk to myself – I talked to Rien.

**_"You're lying."_**

_'Shut up Rien.'_ I scowled – not in the mood to be patronized. There were other things to worry about – like those fucking pictures that kept barging into my mind, like they owned the freakin' place. If they could leave me alone for five minutes, I could think of a plan to get myself out of this mess.

**_"You know; we could just blow this wall to bits and make our escape. I'm sure your shunpo is fast enough to get away before anyone noticed."_**

My left eye twitched.

"To where, Rien?" I answered aloud, tired of the sound of my own voice, "Where the hell could I go? I have nowhere else…and I won't run away."

**_"I wasn't suggesting you do – but we can't stay in here forever."_** She was disgruntled, as she should be, being trapped in here was something neither of us could deal with well. Bars and restrictions – it pissed the both of us off.

"You're right – we can't, but we would still need a place to go. I'm not gonna hide in the filtration system like some damn Ryoka-"

Wait. The Ryoka. Why hadn't I thought of that?

**_"Because it's stupid."_** Rien chided, being able to see where my thoughts were heading, but I ignored her.

If I was already labelled as a traitor, why not make it official? I could just join the Ryoka, why hadn't I thought of this before? I didn't need to make the rest of the Taichio see – I didn't necessarily need the help of the Gotei Thirteen at all – all I had to do was make sure that Kuchiki Rukia got out of that cell, and the Ryoka kept from getting themselves killed.

I was sure that the Ryoka knew something that I didn't – something about Kuchiki Rukia that I needed to know – like why she was imprisoned in the first place. I knew it had something to do with giving her powers to a human, but that couldn't be all it was. Such a petty crime, like I had decided before, didn't deserve such a punishment. Alright...so, if I was going to get out of here, what should I do to accomplish it? Blasting a hold through the wall meant having someone notice I was gone fairly quickly...but, what other way was there to get out of here...

Huh. My eyes drifted to Rien, who was laid out neatly on a table across from me. I realized that they had left me with my Zanpaktuô - a weapon that I could use to break out. What kind of system was this? Oh well. Even if they hadn't given her to me, I could still have called her spirit. I guess it was a moot point.  
"Alright Rien - give me something I can use." I picked up my fan and held it out in front of me. "Give me a phase that can get me out of here without drawing any attention to myself." She could do that right? Usually...I had to work and earn another phase of her, but this one time, I wished that she could just forget the whole deal and skip to something that would save me.

I closed my eyes...focusing on the weapon/being that I held in my hands...willing her to let me attain a little more of her power today.

"Seleena."

"Rien..." I gripped the fan tighter, awaiting for the power to come to me; for the ability to make itself known so that we could escape.

"Seleena?" Rien sighed, "Turn around."

I realized that the voice that I had heard wasn't coming from my head anymore. I spun, and came face to face with the most beautiful, elegant woman that I had ever seen. Her brown hair fell to her waist - she was clothed in a magnificent robe, decorated with sashes and talismans. Her face was long and smooth - pale in the dim light, and her expression was amused, but that the same time it was soft and inviting.

I could tell, though, that with the eerie glow surrounding her, that she wasn't completely here. I was seeing the spirit of my Zanpaktuô, in all her beauty and strangeness I was suddenly over-whelmed and awed at her perfection. At her strength, which I could feel in the very air; her presence surrounded me.

"Rien..." I smiled, "Nice to finally meet you face to face."

She shook her head, "This isn't our first meeting, but we don't have time to discuss that. As we speak, the guards to the cells are reading your Reiatsu, and seeing it jump higher and higher. They'll be here shortly to take me away from you."

I scowled, "Why didn't they just take you before?"

"You're a fourth seat. You shouldn't be able to summon me, or even use me in this cell. Only those with intense, un-breakable Reiatsu could manage it." She stepped forward, head tilted, "We need to escape - and the next phase that I will teach you is a whole different branch of my power than what you've experienced. You know by now, that I am a shape-shifting Zanpaktuô. I can take on many forms while in Shikai, each of them falling into three categories. The First Phase: New Moon, which you have already discovered two releases to. Now, I must teach you the Second Phase. However, to be able to use it, you will have to me that you are worthy to wield this power."

My heart sunk a little. I hadn't proven myself already? I was still unworthy of her? The revelation of this hit me hard...for so long, I had believed that I was the true master of my blade, but now it seemed that Rien had been deliberately keeping things from me.

"What do I have to do?" I asked, trying not to sound too growly.

Her expression changed, and she frowned, "Not like that...you have to promise to always use my powers for good. You will be one of the most powerful Shinigami in existence, and, though I have complete faith in you, I want you to understand how serious this is. How dangerous this is."

"Rien," I put my hands on my hips, "Even if I did go insane with power, it's not like you wouldn't be able to stop me, right? You could just take your power away..." I smiled, "I think I should be asking you to always use your powers for good."

She slapped my head with her pale hand, but she was smiling to herself, laughing, "Cheeky girl - alright. This next technique requires complete peace of mind, and balance of soul, meaning that you will never be able to use it for evil gain."

"Excellent," I raised the fan in my hand to my eyes, giving Rien a grin. I understood her better now, just after a few moments of seeing her face to face. She was a true, good hearted person, who wanted her wielder to be on the side of justice. To be without corruption and filled with dignity. She sort of reminded me of royalty, with her perceived views of right and wrong, "I wouldn't want to be able to use it that way anyway."

She nodded, and then reached out to hold onto herself...a weird thought...that she was in my hands, while standing in front of me. Cool shit, really.

"The next phase can be referred to as a defensive phase, because it can't really be used to attack and enemy...unless you get really creative, which I'm sure you will, Yamatoe Seleena."

My brain flickered...she said my name...I thought about it. She was a part of me...a piece of my soul, almost. The way that we were intertwined meant that she must know everything about me. My name...my history.

"Rien...tell me," I began, forgetting what she was about to tell me, "Am I really Yamatoe Seleena? Is that my real name? Who am I?" I asked these questions - the same that I had always mentally asked her everyday - but somehow, having her in front of me, made it seem that she would know the answers now. I had lived with thinking that Yamatoe Seleena must be my real name, but I was haunted by the fact that I didn't know for sure of it was.

Rien crossed her arms and sighed, "I can't tell you that now. Not yet...soon, very soon, Seleena. But not right now. It's not the right time or the place. But, yes...your name is Yamatoe Seleena...who you were, however, I cannot say."

I decided to accept that. She said that she would soon tell me. I had lived here, not knowing who I had been for how long...I could stand to wait a little longer. I just wanted to know my history...I didn't know why I wanted to know so badly, but I did. It probably had to do with the strange ass visions that kept popping up out of nowhere. I wanted to know...where those were from. That familiar city that wasn't the Seiretei. And...the feeling of falling that crept up whenever I closed my eyes.

"Alright Rien. Show me. Teach me. Lend me your strength, so that we can get the fuck out of here. I'm sick of these bars."

Nodding, she lightly took the fan from my hands, and held it in front of my face, "This is...what I look like when I'm in the defensive mode. Without blade...without any susceptible power. Of course, looks can be deceiving. You know by now that Zanpaktuô have special abilities that define them. There are element types, enchanted types, and types that can bend time and space itself."

Yeah...we had learned all about that at the Academy. All about that Taichio, and how some of them had abilities far beyond belief. Or course, I believed it now. And, what Rien was saying...made me wonder...

"Rien...what sort of ability do you have?"

She grinned, "Just what I was getting at. I am RienSaku. The shape-shifting blade; the Empress of the Moon."

Those words dusted off an almost forgotten memory. The day that I had been drafted into the Eleventh Company. Rien had said that then too. And, it had been something I had remembered...something that _I_ had known before she told me. Strange...could it be that our souls were even more intertwined than I had thought? Or...was it something else? Something...about my past...about who I was before I became a Shinigami? Could Rien and I have been one before now?

"I can take on many forms - like the ever-changing moon, that looks different for each phase, yet remains the same. The First Phase: the New Moon, is the first tier of my destructive powers. The Second Phase: Crescent Moon, is my defensive phase, as I have said. It is this phase that will give you the abilities' you need to break free before they come for you."

My head snapped up; I looked around. "Rien, didn't you say that they were coming for me earlier? Why are we just standing around talking? They must be close - we've been chatting for ages!" We were being idiots - I was being an idiot, why didn't I move faster? They were going to try and take Rien away from me! No...I wouldn't let them...they could never take her.

But Rien just grinned wider, "No need to panic. I've already put my ability into use...I've stopped time around us."

I heard the words, but they didn't truly sink in. I wanted for a punch line. A joke...because stopping time...that was an incredibly powerful ability...and there was no way that...I ran towards the bars, and peered through as far as I could. Squinting, I could see a squad of guards rounding the corner...rounding the corner...frozen to that spot. "Rien...You can stop time?"

"Among other things?" She was beside me, peering alongside me, "But - this is what we will use to escape. It's the Stop technique. You will have approximately thirty seconds to use this technique before they burst in here."

"Right," I said absentmindedly, still gazing...the torches were frozen too...like molten frozen lava...wait..., "What did you say?" I demanded, but the fan fell into my hand - and the torches began to move again.

"Shit! Rien!" I looked around, but she was gone. The fan in my hand was her only form now. What had she said? The Stop...second phase...

"Second Phase - Crescent Moon - Stop!" The words came out in a fury. Nothing happened...but not that type of nothing I wanted. I could hear them closing in on me, their footsteps echoing...Peace of mind...peace of soul Rein had said...

I closed my eyes. I envisioned black. I envisioned endlessness. I envisioned my own soul stopping, before I spoke again.

"Second Phase...Crescent Moon...Stop."

And everything became as silent as my soul.

* * *

"Damn!" The affects wore-off immediately, and I was snapped into regular time space with a jolt large enough to make my entire body ache. I know understood what Rien had warned me about...it would take time to master this technique, and if I couldn't - then eventually, I probably wouldn't be able to undo it...I could unravel the entire space-time continuum...as crazy as it sounded. When I had finally gotten the technique to work...it hadn't really worked. All I had managed to do was slow time down...I had gotten past the slow moving guard without any trouble, but as I went on, it had felt like my brain was going to explode. The pressure was too great for me to handle, and now here I was, barely out of the cells.

I collapsed against the wall, hand clutching my chest...it hurt more than I had thought it would. I was starting to feel tired...my body didn't want to move for me anymore. Well, that's what I got for pushing myself to use a technique that I apparently couldn't handle. But still...I looked at the folded fan in my hand. That ability...it was amazing. For beyond anything that I had ever imagined.

Fucking awesome. I smiled, and went back to trying to keep myself from fainting from the pain. It was ebbing...and I was starting to feel better. Now if only my head would stop spinning, I could get on with my brilliant escape.

**_"You need to keep moving."_**

"I know, I know." I shook my head and started running, shunpo-ing in and out of the shadows. Now all I had to do was find the Ryoka. That shouldn't be too hard; I just had to go towards wherever there was fighting happening. Easy-peasy. But...I paused and searched for high levels of Reiatsu. There were no battles going on at the moment...or, if there were, nobody was letting all hell loose. Damn. The Ryoka must be hiding or something...just my luck.

Now I would have to search for them. My abilities to find and separate singular levels of Reiatsu were pretty good...but I had no idea what I was looking for. I wasn't good enough to feel the differences between Shinigami and the human Ryoka. Their souls were too similar for me, and I cursed myself for not working at that sooner. Now I was paying for it.

I had stopped momentarily to gain my bearings, and see if I could feel any significant Reiatsu 's, when I felt something come at me from behind, startling me in my wondering's.

"Gah!" I turned and faced my attacker...and was a little disappointed when I saw that it was some Fourth Company scrudge. I could handle him. "Who are you?" I growled, pointed a transformed RienSaku at him, trying to scare the pants off of him. Oh, and he looked like he was about to lose his pants too. Maybe I over did it a little...The Eleventh Company had always had anonymity and hatred for the Fourth Company, but I never partook in it. I didn't care...and, though I didn't parade my beliefs around the Company, I still believed that healers were vital...and I understood the need to survive and not fight.

But...fighting was just so fun. I couldn't understand how the Fourth Company did it.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry Miss Seleena! I just got lost; I stopped to tie my shoes!"

Miss Seleena? Oh...it dawned on me - he didn't know that I wasn't a member of the Gotei Thirteen anymore. To him, I was still the Fourth Seat of Eleventh Company.

"Um - That's just fine um...what was your name again?"

"Hanataro! Hanataro Yamada."

Wow. That was the most generic name I had ever heard. At least it was easy to remember.

"Well, Hanataro - you need to hurry and rejoin your squad - and find the Ryoka."

"Uh - Right! Of course, Miss Seleena." He bowed again, and turned around, walking awkwardly into a, in my opinion, random direction.

"Hanataro...didn't your squad go that way?" I pointed in the opposite direction he was going. Poor sap was going to get himself lost wandering around like this. He laughed nervously and waved goodbye.

Well, that was interesting. I thanked my luck that I had run into an ill-informed Fourth Company, instead of a Taichio or something. That would have been bad. But...I needed to be more careful. I couldn't let something like that happen again. Diving into the shadows, I started Shunpo-ing from place to place, searching for any suspicious Reiatsu.

I jumped when something black and blurry darted across the corner of my vision - too fast to be something non-threatening. I gasped, afterwards feeling stupid and childish, but I couldn't help myself.

"Hello kitty!" It was all black - my favorite type of cat. It looked back at me with large, golden eyes - eyes that made it look like it was staring at my warily.  
"Oh, come on Kitty!" I tried to pitch my voice into a sweeter tone, "Out of all the people in the Seiretei, you can trust me." I leaned down and winked, "I'll even tell you a secret - I'm on a mission to save somebody, I'm a total superhero - so, you can trust me!" I held out my hand, "And I wish I could stay and play, but she'll never get out if I don't break in to get her." I laughed, patting it on its forehead, and racking my fingers down its back.

My sixth sense flared up - and looking into its golden eyes, I got a whiff of a soul; a non-animal soul.

"Oi, cat." I cocked my head, "You wanna go for a ride?" I patted my shoulder. When it stared at me, I rolled my eyes, "Hey, I'm trying to play it your way - just act along with it. If I take you were you want to go, feel free to jump off. Until then, you can pass off as my cat." I winked, and it, after a moment of very human consideration, jumped onto my shoulder.

"Hold on," I advised, "I'm sort of...well, let's just say that we can't be seen and...at some random point, I may start running off."

I stayed low into the shadows, creeping along with my spiritual energy as low as it could go before I felt like fainting.

The top of the Repentance Tower peaked over the barracks. It loomed, and once again I was faced with my problem. The Sekki Sekki rock was going to zap away all of my Reiatsu as soon as I got within twenty feet of it. I wouldn't be able to use the infest phase with that stupid rock stealing my powers.  
"Oi cat." I knew for certain now that this wasn't just a regular cat. Inside of this small, furry body was a powerful soul - an old soul that held much wisdom. I would have to be a complete idiot to not notice when it was so close like this. "You wouldn't by any chance...be one of the Ryoka, would you?"

It stared forward, acting like a regular cat.

"That's cool. Next time we meet, you'll have to tell me how you managed to acquire such a rare ability. Turning into a cat would make my job easier. See that tower?" I pointed to the Repentance cell, "That's where Kuchiki Rukia is. And that's also where I am trying to get to, without being caught. My problem is that stupid Sekki Sekki. I can't use my Zanpaktuô close enough to get myself in, let along get anybody out."

I sighed again, still inspecting the tower, trying to look for anything that I could use that didn't involve Reiatsu.

Suddenly, the cat jumped off my shoulder, flipped in the air, and landed on a roof, looking back down at me.

"How would you get in?" I asked, hoping to get something from it. Surely this shape-shifter understood what I was saying...if transforming meant not being able to understand humans anymore; that would be a sucky exchange. I might not take to learning that ability just for that. "Storm the keep? I can't do that...I don't have an army to back me up. Break in? Not very possible...that rock would suck any energy thrown at it. Man, why couldn't I just...walk in? That's why you don't get booted from the Gotei Thirteen!" I slapped my forehead, "If I were still a Company member, I could just sneak into the ward and take the key or whatever it is that unlocks that door."

The cat huffed, and then looked at me, like it was trying to convey something.

"What?" I demanded, pursing my lips, "I'm trying to work out a plan! I'm just saying; that key would...oh." I realized what it must have meant with that look. I could just steal the key anyway. I mean...like I had said before, I might as well go all the way into this traitor business. A little stealing doesn't compare to anything I had planned.

"That's right...I'll just steal the key...and then, I'll break into the Repentance Cell...and I'll help Kuchiki Rukia escape!" But how was I going to keep my powers when I got close to the cell? That stupid Sekki Sekki would take away all my strength.

**_"I know of a Kidou..."_** Rien said softly in my ear, **_"That separates space. If you used it - you would be able to make a separate space inside the cell that would keep out the affects of the Sekki Sekki. But, it's very high class - higher than A, one of the most difficult Kidou to perform without the effects of the Sekki Sekki wearing on."_**

I was again amazed at Rien - I didn't know how she knew so much. I would have to ask her about it one day. A high level Kidou eh? Sounded like fun...and a challenge. Now that that was settled, I would just have to find the key. Which would be somewhere in the Fourth Company ward, or the First Company ward. Which should I search first? Probably the Fourth Company...that First Company would be much more dangerous.

"Alright, my Ryoka Cat Friend, you should probably make sure that the rest of your part is safe. If you don't mind, could you deliver a message to the rest of them? Tell them to not try and beak into the Repentance Tower...because it won't be any use. It's best for you all to lay low until I can convince Kuchiki Rukia to escape for herself. I'll make sure you all know when she's free."

The cat stared at me, before nodding its head, and jumping off my shoulder and onto a nearby roof. I hoped for its safety, and then continued to travel to the Fourth Company, where I prayed the key was. It didn't take too long to break in - most of the Company was probably out hunting for the Ryoka, or healing all of the Company members that would have been wounded in all the battles with the Ryoka. As I passed by a room full of bandages and other healing tools, I got an idea. A few minutes later, I re-emerged with my head half wrapped, and one of the special Reiatsu eating tools used by some Taichio's clenched in my grasp. It should give me a good disguise for a little while - at least enough for confusion for me to make an escape if needed.

I hobbled through the halls - passing other patients who were being treated. None of them even spared me an extra glance. Lovely. I tried not to be too smug as I traveled...luckily; I was paranoid enough to keep my face straight.

Finally, I reached the wards - and was thunderstruck upon realizing how large the room was...and how full the shelves were.

"Daaaaamn." I breathed, looked at each shelf carefully. "Where the hell would it be? If it's even here...come to me, key..." I said lowly, trying to will it into my sight. It took me fifteen minutes to finish one half of the room...and after that, I was ready to explode. I knew that it wasn't going to be here as soon as I walked in. Who would keep keys just lying around for anyone to pick up?

"God dammit!" I picked up a crate, and threw it against the wall in fury - not caring if anyone outside heard me. Maybe I should just tear everything apart, until I found what I was looking for. "Ouch!" I flinched away from a beam of light that came from where I had thrown the crate. Curious, I stepped forward, and poked at the hidden door in the wall. It slowly opened, revealing a large room, with shelves on the back wall. However, this room was different from the previous room...on all the shelves, were different keys. Each of the groups labelled to where they went.

"What the hell?" I demanded, looking at the shelves, "They keep a bunch of extra keys in a poorly hidden back room? This was way to fucking easy, come on! Rien, can you believe this? It's ridiculous." I snatched up one of the keys labelled Repentance Tower, and stuffed it into my robes.

**_"You found the room by accident..."_** Rien said dryly, **_"If you hadn't thrown that crate haphazardly, you wouldn't have found it at all."_**

"...Shut the hell up." I growled, shuffling out of the room again - but this time, I didn't risk travelling down the halls. I jumped out the first window I found.

**_"You asked."_**

Right. Whatever. Giving it my all, I Shunpo-d to the tower as fast as I could, when really I should have been the most careful. I could feel Rien's objection in my head, but I ignored her. I was so close to it...my goal - the thing that I had set out to do so long ago was finally coming to fruition. I wasn't even that excited about rescuing her...I just wanted to see her again - to ask her...maybe she could tell me more about who I was. And, maybe now - fate would be satisfied and stop trying to explode my head. I hadn't had a flash in a while; perhaps I was finally free. The tower sprouted ahead of me - and I was at the base of it, having managed to dodge all the Taichio that would be lurking around. A miracle, really...but, then, I remembered that I still had the Reiatsu eating object, and realized why they hadn't noticed me. Having arrived at the Sekki Sekki rock, I was able to throw it away. My Reiatsu would be taken by this building instead.

"Alright." I placed my hand on the rock - immediately pulling it away. I could feel it sucking away my Reiatsu at a dangerous pace. I couldn't imagine being trapped in here for more than five minutes...it would be like having no strength at all. And, I probably wouldn't be able to summon Rien. She was, after all, tied to my level of Reiatsu. "Now...how does this thing work?" I lifted the key cautiously, looking for a door, or a place to stick it in. There was nothing here on the ground level, which I had suspected, so I turned my eyes upwards.

There was a thin bridge leading to the middle of the tower, and that was the place this key would go. I Shunpo-d up the wall directly opposite of the Sekki Sekki rock. I wasn't touching it, but I still felt its enormous drain, making it difficult to maintain control of my Reiatsu. However, I managed to make it up - running into a few guards with my hurried entrance. Luckily, they didn't see me coming - so I managed to draw them away on a false lead. A quick call, but I decided to expect those types of things from now on.

I shunpo-d across the bridge, stuffing the key in the lock, and opening the entrance as quick as I could, before closing it behind me in a swift motion. What I had just done might have been very stupid, but as long as I managed to retain my Reiatsu for a little while, I could perform the space - separating Kido and stop the effects of the Sekki Sekki.

Inside, I felt a part of my spirit drain away. It was dark...and cold. Not a place for anyone to have to spend their time. My heart went out to Kuchiki Rukia, and as I thought these things, I noticed movement upwards, on one of the ledges that circled the inside of the cell.

She turned to me - her small face illuminated by the light that streamed through the dozen or so window's that showed the execution grounds. I wondered, again, why she was in here when she was sentenced to be imprisoned for all eternity...you'd think that they'd move her to her permanent cell as soon as possible, instead of keeping her locked in here for weeks. But, my wondering was soon forgotten, as I stepped forward, showing myself fully to her.

I grinned at her, finally being able to say the words that I had been aching to say for weeks - her shocked face more than satisfying.

"Hello, Kuchiki Rukia. I am Yamatoe Seleena, and I am here to save you."

* * *

**_End Chapter 10_**

**_End Arc 1_**

**_Bonus:_**

* * *

_"It's like the end of an era..." She looked across the city; the tall, crystalline towers glittered in the moonlight. At this time, she could see to every edge of her home - to each one of the walls that surrounded them. But this wouldn't be her home for much longer...she had faced that long ago. And now, on this night, it would become not her home, but her past. It was the end of an era...an era of pain, and sorrow. Too long had her world been shrouded in darkness...too long had she been unable to change anything._

_The old ways were barbaric - and foolish; she knew that. And tonight, she would do something that had never even dreamed of doing before. She would reach the tall walls that caged her, and she would break through them, and finally see the outside world that had tempted her for so long._

_"Ms. Is there anything else that you require?" One of the servants asked from the door._

_She turned, and gave the girl a long look, before shaking her head._

_When the servant had left, she wondered if she was going to miss this. If she was ever going to miss her home..._

_What troubled her was that she couldn't bring herself to think so. But, maybe one day...she might return. She might come back, and see if anything had changed. This was, after all, her home. And, thought she might want the life of a stray cat, she would return home sometime, she was sure. If she stayed, however, was a different issue entirely._

_Grabbing her small bag, she secured it tightly to her shoulders, and hefted onto the window ledge. Not intimidated by the height of her tower, she gazed to the sky once more, meeting gaze with the moon, who had watched over her all her years. It was the moon she respected above all else. And deep inside, she felt a deep connection to it; a bond that had been there her whole life._

_She wanted to be the moon; to be free to roam as she pleased; to be free from all that she had despised. Tonight, she would make her dream come true. Without giving a last look behind her, she jumped down - running through the pale moonlight, towards her destiny._


End file.
